CAS, Try Again Homes merge
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After years of partnership and planning, Try Again Homes Inc. and Community Action Southwest merged.
The merger became effective July 1 and did not alter services, CAS Chief Executive Officer Darlene Bigler said.
“The merger is the culmination of two years of partnership and planning between the two nonprofit organizations, after years of collaboration around fundraising and staff training,” Bigler said in a news release.
“During the summer of 2013, the Try Again Homes board of directors expressed interest in exploring ways to achieve economies of scale through collaboration with a larger organization,” Bigler said. “In February of 2014, Community Action Southwest acquired Try Again Homes, with Try Again Homes operating as a subsidiary organization of Community Action Southwest. Now that the full merger has been completed, Try Again Homes is operating as a program service area of Community Action Southwest, along with existing program service areas – early childhood, nutrition, family economic success and senior services.”
Bigler said mergers between nonprofits are becoming more common.
“From a mission standpoint, Community Action Southwest and Try Again Homes are very compatible. While CAS focuses on early childhood education and helping to move low-income families to economic self-sufficiency, Try Again Homes services are directed at foster care, adoption and truancy prevention services, with an emphasis on helping older children in foster care transition to independent living,” she said.
Gwen Davis, Try Again Homes’ executive director, agreed.
“The two organizations share a deep commitment to the people we serve and achieving the best possible outcomes for them. Many CAS services such as money management, budgeting, housing and adult education can enhance the success of children who are aging out of the foster care system.”
Locations and phone numbers remained the same, Bigler said, so the transition should be seamless.
With the merger of the two organizations, Community Action Southwest now employs more than 300 people, has an annual budget of $16 million, and serves 20,000 people each year.