​​Serving individuals, families and children in Bond, Clinton, Marion and Washington counties since 1967.

​​​BCMW Community Services

BCMW Community Services is a Community Action Agency (CAA) which covers the Illinois counties of Bond, Clinton, Marion and Washington as well as Franklin County for Head Start. BCMW is one of thirty-five Community Action Agencies (CAA) in Illinois. All 102 Illinois counties are covered by a CAA. CAA's provide anti-poverty programs to help stabilize the lives of low-income families and individuals through programs designed to reduce poverty and its manifested effects. 

BCMW was incorporated in 1967 and is a 501c (3) organization. The core, four-county area we serve has a population of approximately 103,172 and covers a 1,989 square mile area. The largest percentage of our population that we serve consists of people who are 25-44 years of age.  Approximately 81% of our clients are white, 13.1% are black/African American, and  3.1% of our client population is Hispanic/Ethnic background.  During 2021, BCMW assisted 3,363 households and 7,162 individuals. The agency serves as a light at the end of a very long tunnel for many people. In 1964, at the beginning of the "War on Poverty", it was estimated that we could eradicate poverty within ten years; here we are fifty-­two years later and we are still uncovering the multitude of layers of the causes of poverty. BCMW is an agency dedicated to helping people, help themselves and each other. The agency is governed by a fifteen-member tripartite board of directors with equal representation from public, private, and low-income entities. 

The BCMW staff is very dedicated and knowledgeable and strive to be on the cutting edge of training and education to further our mission of reducing poverty and strengthening communities. The BCMW Program Directors and Coordinators are all very talented managers. The core programs operated by the agency are Head Start - Early Head Start, Low Income Home Energy Assistance, Weatherization, Community Services Block Grant and Senior Nutrition. The agency also operates housing rehabilitation and home accessibility grants when funding is available. BCMW also provides transitional housing and programs to prevent homelessness and provide emergency shelter. Our housing department has created permanent jobs for the agency through their highly trained management and staff performing the weatherization work and/or lead abatement work at four other agencies.   They are working to develop a plan to create housing opportunities for low to moderate income families on vacant lots made available through the previous Blight Reduction Program.  

The agency exists to assist families who are struggling to make ends meet through safety net programs, but more importantly, work with people to help change lives through services which have the largest impact on poverty. 

BCMW empowers people by reducing poverty and strengthening communities.

Community Action changes people's lives,

embodies the spirit of hope,

improves communities,

and makes America a better place to live.

We care about the entire community,

and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.

BCMW Community Services is dedicated to empowering individuals

to overcome poverty in all its forms and manifestations. 

BCMW Main Office | 909 E. Rexford | Centralia, IL  62801

618.532.7388