Advocacy
The Advocacy program makes sure that the needs and interests of the lower income population are articulated to policy makers who formulate programs for them. Examples are:
 
 

Dept. of Health  Dept. of Workforce Services  Dept. of Education  Dept. of Community and Economic Development

Public Service Commission  Local city councils and county commissions  Other organizations which share CAP's goals

The Advocacy staff, through personal contact with the public, discover individual needs. They educate policy makers and other government agencies about those needs. The staff works to impact policy and budget decisions that affect various issues such as:
 
 

Health Care  Welfare to Work and other Public Benefit Issues  Affordable, accessible housing, including home ownership and landlord-tenant relations  Tax Policy

Utility Rates  Gang Prevention  Child support and quality child care  Quality of neighborhoods, including zoning and         redevelopment

Fine Alternatives
The Fine Alternatives program was designed by the court system. Rather than having low-income people directly pay costly legal fines and fees, CAP gives them the opportunity to work with a non-profit agency in order to pay their debts. When people have fines to pay, they bring in the court ordered hours they need to work off and assigned to an insured agency, which protects workers in case of injury on the job. Many are placed at one of the seven CAP Emergency Food Pantries closest to where they live. Some are from out-of state, and may have from anywhere between 10 and 1000 hours to work off. Types of responsibilities of service workers include: answering phones, putting food boxes together, cleaning, assisting with the pick-up and delivery of food at the Food Bank, and picking up donated furniture. The program not only provides opportunities to alleviate individual burdens, but also renders important services to the community.