JCEO is a private, not-for-profit Community Action Agency that has been serving Clinton and Franklin Counties since 1966.

Through a comprehensive list of services, JCEO offers a helping hand to the working poor, the elderly, the sick, and the disadvantaged. Our legacy is defined by our staff and volunteers’ unwavering dedication to enhancing the lives of our neighbors, creating an environment where those in need actively engage in their pursuit for self-sufficiency.

Who We Are

The Joint Council for Economic Opportunity of Clinton and Franklin Counties is one of more than a thousand Community Action Agencies across the United States that work to give individuals and families the services and resources they need to improve their lives. Every year, we assist thousands of North Country residents in need through a wide variety of programs that are tailored to the specific needs of our region.

Our Mission Statement

JCEO is dedicated to providing resources and services that enhance people’s dignity and self-reliance.

Our Vision

  • Employ a broad range of dedicated, talented individuals to achieve our mission.

  • Serve as a county referral center for persons in need of financial and personal assistance.

  • Create an environment which promotes clients’ active role in their pursuit of self sufficiency.

  • Create innovative programs by forming partnerships and coordinating services.

  • Interact with, and advocate for the economically disadvantaged.

  • Assess program effectiveness to plan for the future.

Our Values

  • To excel in the provision of service that is respectful and highly responsive to people’s needs.

  • To encourage people’s active role in their pursuit of self-reliance.

  • To be fair, honest and trustworthy in all of our interactions.

  • To attract and retain a broad range of dedicated and talented staff and volunteers.

  • To encourage teamwork characterized by unity of purpose and innovation.

  • To create innovative programs by forming partnerships and coordinating services.

  • To prudently manage our resources so as to ensure the continuation of our mission.

  • To zealously safeguard confidentiality and human rights.

Our History

Joint Council for Economic Opportunity (JCEO) has been serving the North Country since 1966, originally formed to serve Clinton County. From the beginning, the agency has had a longstanding focus on investing in people - helping individuals and families achieve independence and forge pathways to long-term success.

As community needs grew, so did JCEO. In 1998, the agency expanded into Franklin County by establishing Head Start services. This growth into Franklin County continued in 2013 with the addition of key services including food access, community outreach, transportation, and weatherization. Today, JCEO serves residents across Clinton and Franklin Counties through a network of Community Outreach and Head Start centers, with programs ranging from early childhood education to senior care.

Departments currently administered include Head Start, Early Head Start, Day Care, Food Services, Energy Services, Community Outreach, and Senior Outreach. Each of these departments has their own programs; application assistance, summer camp scholarships, holiday baskets, Back-to-School, Christmas Bureau, Health Insurance Counseling, the Backpack Feeding Program, and much more.

While programs have changed throughout the years, reflecting the evolving needs of the North Country, all of our programs remain rooted in the mission to help Americans improve their lives through practical, timely, and innovative programs and services.

JCEO through the years

Six children sitting and standing on a wooden porch with an adult man in the background.
A group of people, including Head Start children and their parents, gathered outdoors on a fall day, with some holding small pumpkins, smiling.
A young girl with face paint smiling and holding hands with a younger boy dressed in red hoodie at a Head Start event under a pavilion, with people sitting on benches in the background.
Two people, a man with dark hair wearing a white apron labeled 'A.M. ROTARY PANCAKE DAY' and a woman with shoulder-length brown hair, stand close together in a restaurant or cafeteria. The background shows kitchen equipment and a neon-lit ceiling.
Two young children wearing colorful winter hats and jackets, surrounded by snow and other children, outdoors in winter.
Four people working in a kitchen, wearing aprons that say 'A.M. Rotary Pancake'.
A group of children and a man are gathered around a clown with pink curly hair, white face makeup, and colorful polka-dot costume. The children are smiling and appear to be enjoying the clown's performance in an indoor room with patriotic decorations
Group of young children and an adult in hairnets and gloves preparing baking batter together at a classroom table, with muffin tins in front of them.
A JCEO Energy Services staff member in a hoodie and gloves standing on a ladder cleaning snow off a roof chimney on a snow-covered roof.
Children petting goats at an outdoor petting zoo.
Three women smiling and hugging outdoors next to a black car, with green trees and an overcast sky in the background.
Children and adults sitting on a hayride through a rural area with trees and open fields, some wearing jackets and hats.
Head Start children participating in a school event on a grassy field, dressed as colorful vehicles, with spectators and teachers watching nearby.
A group of four people, including a young boy in a yellow jacket and blue hat, sitting outdoors on hay, with a rustic barn and cloudy sky in the background.
Children learning to ski with instructors on a snowy slope, surrounded by leafless trees under a partly cloudy sky.
Group of children and adults playing with a colorful parachute on a grassy field.
Children and adults gathered under a pavilion, participating in a group activity or game, with playground equipment visible outdoors in the background.
JCEO staff and volunteers wearing masks and packing boxes near a truck outdoors during COVID-19.
Groups of people gathered outdoors, some holding colorful balloons.
Close-up of a smiling baby with light hair, being held outdoors with green trees in the background.
Children participating in a parade or event, dressed in handmade vehicle costumes, with adults and onlookers in the background at an outdoor park or field.
A young boy in a yellow winter jacket and blue helmet standing on skis, smiling, and holding hands with an adult in a blue and white winter jacket at a snowy ski resort during the daytime.
Frame displaying the mission statement and vision of JCEO, a community action partnership organization, with their logo at the top right corner.
Children riding tricycles and a bike on a paved area marked with orange cones, with a grassy field and trees in the background.
A young girl with pigtails, wearing a light blue jacket and navy shorts, is walking away from a large orange truck while carrying a pink backpack over her shoulder. The truck has the text 'JCEO, HEAD START' on its side.
A woman sitting on the porch steps with two young girls, one holding a colorful object and the other appearing surprised, in front of a brick house.
Children participating in a snow skiing activity, with one child in mid-ski wearing a helmet and ski gear, supervised by adults, outdoors on a snowy day.
A group of young children in a classroom posing around a blue mailbox. They are smiling, some sitting, some standing, with colorful educational posters and alphabet charts on the whiteboard behind them.
A woman with glasses and three children, two girls and a boy, sitting at a table in a room with white walls and floral wallpaper, with a green plant hanging from the ceiling.
Four children and a woman sitting on a patterned couch, hugging and smiling at the camera. The woman has glasses and is in the middle. The children have blonde hair and are wearing casual clothes.
A young girl with curly blonde hair sitting on a pink tricycle outdoors on a paved surface.
A smiling woman with glasses and short brown hair carrying a large cardboard box marked 'AngelSoft' outside a building with a brick wall, with boxes and blue bags on a table in front of her.
Children playing tug-of-war outside on grass, with playground equipment in the background.
Four women are standing together outdoors in blue Community Action Angels T-shirts, smiling for a group photo.
Young girl with curly hair placing colorful magnetic gears on a white wall.
Group of children and adults gathering around a community event booth under a white tent, with blue and orange balloons, green trees, and a house in the background.
Two young boys are sitting at a table in a classroom or playroom, engaging in play activities.
A woman wearing a patterned face mask and a colorful patchwork shirt standing on a city sidewalk, with a plush dog toy sitting on the bed of a red pickup truck nearby.
A group of young children sitting on a green carpet in a classroom, listening to a woman reading a story. The classroom has bookshelves, colorful artwork, and a large window showing a green outdoor area.
Two women and two young boys sitting outside near a building with large windows and greenery. The women are engaging with the boys, who appear to be talking or playing.
A group of children and a young adult sitting outdoors in a snowy landscape.
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