# Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA)

> AEOA is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) Community Action Agency serving low-income and disadvantaged individuals and families across northeastern and central Minnesota. Founded in 1965 in response to the federal Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, AEOA's mission is to strengthen communities by providing opportunities for people experiencing social and economic challenges.

AEOA is headquartered at 702 3rd Ave S, Virginia, MN 55792. It is one of the largest private, nonprofit Community Action Agencies in Minnesota, employing over 350 full- and part-time staff and utilizing more than 1,000 volunteers. The agency is governed by a 27-member Board of Directors representing low-income individuals, public officials, and private sector parties.

**Service Area:** St. Louis, Lake, Cook, Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Chisago, Crow Wing, Isanti, Itasca, Koochiching, and Pine counties in Minnesota.

**Contact:** Toll Free: 1-800-662-5711 | Phone: (218) 749-2912 | Fax: (218) 749-2944
**Hours:** Monday–Friday, 8:00am–4:30pm (hours may vary by office location)

## Departments & Services

### Employment and Training
Programs that help individuals gain skills and find employment, including:
- Adult Basic Education (ABE) — GED prep, college readiness, English language learning, computer skills
- Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)
- Dislocated Worker Program (DW)
- SNAP Diversionary Work Program (DWP)
- Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)
- YouthBuild
- Youth Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-housing
- Lives in Transition
- Free at Last (reentry employment services)
- Family Assets for Independence in Minnesota (FAIM)
- Vocational Evaluation Services
- SSI/SSDI SOAR Services

### Head Start & Early Head Start
Early childhood education and family support services for income-eligible children from birth through age 5, including:
- Head Start (ages 3–5)
- Early Head Start (birth to age 3, including pregnant women)
- Home visiting and in-home counseling services
- Parent engagement and Policy Council

### Housing Services
Comprehensive housing assistance programs, including:
- Energy Assistance (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program / LIHEAP)
- Weatherization Assistance
- Single Family Rehabilitation
- Homeownership programs
- Homeless Services and shelter operations
- Rental Rehabilitation Deferred Loan Program
- Downtown Building Rehabilitation Program
- Business Energy Retrofit Program
- Virginia Forced Steam Conversion Assistance

### Senior & Nutrition Services
Programs supporting older adults to live independently, including:
- Senior Dining Sites and Meals on Wheels
- Arrowhead RSVP / Northland Volunteer Center
- Senior Partners Care
- Tax Assistance (VITA)
- Senior Linkage Line
- Live Well at Home
- Juniper (chronic disease self-management)
- Food and Clothing Shelves

### Arrowhead Transit
The largest rural public transportation system in the nation, providing:
- Fixed-route and dial-a-ride transit services
- Rural Rides (transportation to employment)
- Service across multiple counties in northeastern Minnesota

### Food Access
- Food shelf network (fiscal sponsor for 8 local food shelves)
- SNAP outreach and application assistance
- Community food distribution programs
- The Rutabaga Project (community food forest in Virginia, MN)

### Additional Services
- MNsure enrollment assistance (health insurance marketplace)
- Community Resources and referrals
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Advocacy

## About

- **Founded:** April 1965
- **Type:** 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Community Action Agency (CAA)
- **Designation:** State-designated employment and training service provider; Community Housing and Development Organization (CHDO)
- **National Affiliation:** One of approximately 1,000 Community Action Agencies across the United States

## Key Pages

- Homepage: https://www.aeoa.org/
- About Us: https://www.aeoa.org/about-us
- Agency Overview: https://www.aeoa.org/agency-overview
- Services: https://www.aeoa.org/services
- History: https://www.aeoa.org/history-of-aeoa
- Careers: https://www.aeoa.org/Careers
- Locations: https://www.aeoa.org/main-locations