Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

CADC Helping Others

In 1965 the Central Arkansas Development Center was created. It came into being through the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.

This was part of former President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty" program in the nation.

According to Gene Higgenbotham, with the CADC, these agencies began in Saline and Hot Spring counties in Arkansas, with Clark County joining in 1969.

Currently, he said, there are such centers in 12 counties in central Arkansas, including Pike and Montgomery counties.

The CADC moved to its current location in Gurdon in 1991.

The CADC, Higgenbotham said, is the largest community-based non-profit organization in the state.

Its mission, he said, is to provide a better quality of life to low income residents.

In Gurdon, the CADC operates both the Senior Adult Center as well as the Head Start program, along with transportation services with the SCAT buses from Arkadelphia.

With the program having grown since 1965, he said, it was decided it should return to its roots in 1999, which is to help people help themselves.

"We're here to help build the community," he said, "and make our resources available."

People, Higgenbotham said, have tried to become more isolated by staying home more, not socializing with their neighbors or getting involved with the community.

However, he added, this is changing. More and more communities are building additional sidewalks and programs are being directed with a focus on small towns.

According to Higgenbotham, the best way to help the low income people is through education and helping get small businesses off the ground.

The CADC is planning small business seminars for those who want to start a business of their own.

At this point of history, he said, we are looking at the "digital divide."

The nation has gone through an agricultural revolution, which was followed by the industrial revolution. Now, he said, we're in a digital revolution because of the Internet, which is making all communities global.

"Arkansas missed out on the industrial revolution," Higgenbotham said, "and this is a good thing because we have a much cleaner state. We want to increase people's access to the Internet and global economy."

Returning to the grass roots of the CADC, he said, the services provided by the centers include medical and dental screening for children, parenting classes, transportation for medical reasons and weatherization/energy assistance.