History
In 1967, three years after President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act, the agency now known as Community Service Programs of West Alabama (CSP), Inc., opened its doors to provide assistance to low-income families and individuals as well as those with special needs in the Tuscaloosa area.
Founded in 1967, just three years after President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the landmark Economic Opportunity Act, the agency now known as Community Service Programs of West Alabama (CSPWAL), Inc. opened its doors with a bold and urgent mission: to confront poverty head-on and expand opportunity for low-income individuals, families, and those with special needs throughout the Tuscaloosa area. As a private, nonprofit Community Action Agency born out of Johnson’s Great Society and War on Poverty, CSP of West Alabama was established on the belief that America could, and must, “eliminate the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty” by ensuring access to education, training, employment, and a life lived with dignity.
The agency’s earliest foundation was shaped under the leadership of Jerry Griffin, a respected social work professor at the University of Alabama and CSP of West Alabama’s first Executive Director. Guided by his vision and resolve, CSPWAL embraced a philosophy that would define its work for decades to come: “A hand up, not just a hand out.” With a strong emphasis on training, collaboration, and community empowerment, CSPWAL focused on equipping individuals with the skills and supports needed to achieve self-sufficiency, while mobilizing communities to take collective ownership of their future.
Today, Community Service Programs of West Alabama delivers critical services across a twelve-county service area, including Bibb, Choctaw, Dallas, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Perry, Sumter, and Tuscaloosa counties, with the agency also providing Early Intervention services in Pickens and Marengo counties as well.
Governed by a federally mandated tripartite Board of Directors, comprised of elected officials or their representatives, leaders from business and civic sectors, and representatives of low-income communities, the agency remains deeply rooted in the communities it serves. The Board is currently chaired by Mr. Freddie Washington.
Building upon the dedicated service and leadership of the agency’s previous Executive Director, Mrs. Cynthia Burton, who helped steward CSPWAL through an important chapter of its history, the organization continues to build upon its legacy while positioning itself for future growth and sustainability.
Under the leadership of Executive Director Olandor O. Lewis, CSP of West Alabama continues to advance its enduring commitment to “Building Stronger Families and Communities.” In alignment with the agency’s mission “to empower low-income and vulnerable populations by providing resources and services that resolve immediate needs and lead to long-term self-sufficiency,” CSPWAL remains grounded in legacy yet focused on the future - delivering innovative and impactful programs across supportive services, comprehensive early childhood education, school readiness services and early intervention services, housing and mortgage readiness and community development, all to strengthen families, expand opportunity, and drive meaningful change throughout West Alabama.