Tri-CAP (Tri-City Community Action Program)

Tri-CAP: Working with Malden, Medford, Everett, and Surrounding Communities in Massachusetts. Tri-CAP has three major divisions:

• Energy Assistance
• Children and Family Services
• Advocacy and Community Services

In carrying out its mission, Tri-CAP treats all people with dignity, respect, and compassion. We listen carefully to the ideas, concerns, and beliefs of low income people before undertaking actions on issues which affect them. Tri-CAP has built a strong track record of successes based upon this philosophy and these commitments.

Feel free to browse the many programs and services Tri-CAP has to offer:

Computer Courses at the Cyber Café
Computer courses are offered at the Cyber Café @ Malden Square for a nominal fee. These courses are designed to teach basic skills in using a computer, office applications, and the Internet. You must pre-register at the Cyber Cafe and pay the fee or deposit at the time of registration. For more information, visit the Cyber Café website.

Energy Assistance
The Tri-CAP Fuel Assistance program serves residents of Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Stoneham, Winchester, and Woburn. The Fuel Assistance program helps low-income homeowners and renters pay a portion of the cost of heating (oil, gas, electric, rent if heat is included in rent) their homes.

Children and Family Services
Head Start is a free child and family development program for low income families with preschoolers (ages 3-5) offering education, health services, social services, nutrition, parent involvement activities, mental health and services to those with disabilities.

Advocacy
Advocacy offers crisis intervention, education, information and referral to families and individuals seeking to meet their basic needs for shelter, income, clothing, and health care. Advocacy provides information and referral, clothing, and benefits and health care advocacy to all low income Tri-City residents.

In addition, the program provides housing counseling for people with HIV/AIDS and operates a Homeless Mobile Outreach Team which provides assistance to homeless individuals seeking housing, income, and mental health/substance abuse services. In 2005, Advocacy helped 707 families and individuals.

Pro Bono Legal Project
Free legal information, advice and sometimes representation for low-income residents of Malden, Everett, Medford, Melrose and Wakefield with non-fee generating civil legal cases. This means cases that a lawyer cannot get paid for. Most of our cases are:

• Eviction – We help Tenants and Landlords
• Family Law – We help mainly with divorces
• Debt Issues
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Appeals
• Other civil law issues