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CAPCIL 60th Anniversary Open House
[May 15, 2026]
On Wednesday, CAPCIL hosted an
open house to celebrate 60 years of service in the community. While
it was a celebration of their time in the community, it was also an
opportunity to learn about their wide range of service programs.
Breann Titus was on hand to walk visitors through each different
program and give tours of their office building.
Down each hallway, the different
CAPCIL departments had tables with information on their programs.
The program directors were also there to provide more information on
their area. Each table had fliers and cards with information, and
some had goodies or treats for visitors.
Titus explained that one of the
most recognizable CAPCIL programs is Head Start, which provides
early childhood education to local children up to age 5. This
program is a structured environment to prepare children for
kindergarten. While they are well known for education, they can also
assist with children's health and wellness needs. There are several
Head Start locations in Logan County.
This location also has a full
commercial kitchen to prepare meals for the Meals on Wheels
nutrition program, which serves 150-200 seniors a day throughout
Logan and Mason counties. This program provides homebound seniors
over 60 with hot, nutritious meals. They also prepare the Head Start
lunches.
Meals on Wheels is just one way
that CAPCIL serves local seniors. They also provide transportation
to and from medical appointments in their ADA accessible vans. They
also have a Foster Grandparents Program, which provides seniors with
an opportunity to be active in the community and work with children.
The foster grandparents can also receive a stipend for their work
with the children.
Breann explained that Community
Action Partners (CAP) is a nationwide agency; however, each
partnership office is run independently. She also noted that there
are over 1,000 Community Action Partnerships throughout the country.
Annually, CAP serves 7 million families nationwide. Locally, CAPCIL
serves approximately 3,500 families.
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CAPCIL also provides energy support
through LIHEAP. LIHEAP is a resource that helps reduce energy costs
for those with limited or no income. This program is a partnership
with Ameren. Not only does this service provide financial
assistance, but it also provides educational tools to help reduce
energy bills. Weatherization is another way that CAPCIL can help
clients conserve energy by assisting with services such as air
sealing, insulation, HVAC repair or replacement, and more. This
service is administered in DeWitt, Logan, Mason, Menard, and Piatt
counties.
Heather Cosby was also there as
director of the CSBG Small Business Coalition. She explained that
the mission of the Small Business Coalition is to promote the growth
of small businesses throughout the CAPCIL service area. She also
explained that there are instances when CAPCIL can provide workforce
training, and the Small Business Coalition can then provide
resources to help newly trained individuals find work. Harley Naugle,
project coordinator for the CSBG, explained that CAPCIL is a great
resource for individuals to find assistance. He and Titus explained
that if there is no specific program that meets an individual’s
needs, they will try to find resources to bridge the gap for those
who need a helping hand.
You can visit the CAPCIL website
for more information on their programs and volunteer opportunities.
[Joli Boerma]
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