Over 50 years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a War on Poverty. It was this declaration that led to the formation of Community Action Agencies throughout the country. Today, Valley Opportunity Council (VOC) is one of 23 Community Action Agencies in Massachusetts.
VOC started out small in 1965 and was originally named the Community and Regional Opportunity Program. At that time our agency focused on community outreach, with few programs of our own. VOC has grown significantly since then and now offers over 30 programs in a wide variety of areas, including food and nutrition, energy assistance, education and child care, youth and adult programs and community outreach.
Several years ago, VOC also started investing in the local community by purchasing and renovating properties in Chicopee and Holyoke. These properties include market-rate and low-income housing as well as multiple commercial and mixed-use buildings.
When VOC first opened, our organization was only able to offer services in Chicopee and Holyoke, and today many of our programs are available to participants throughout greater Hampden County. As we continue to grow, our focus has been, and will continue to be, helping people achieve a higher quality of life.
