Trisha Wilkins, CEO of Northeast Iowa Community Action, presented the agency’s annual funding request and described program activity in Winneshiek County and the agency’s broader seven‑county service area.

Wilkins said the agency is mostly federally funded — roughly 75–78% of a $12 million agency budget — and that federal funding uncertainty (including a recent shutdown) had a material effect on operations. She reported that the agency served 886 individuals in Winneshiek County and initially referenced "$185,000" in LIHEAP‑specific assistance before correcting the figure and saying the county received "$380,499 of all financial assistance." She clarified that the earlier $185,000 number referred to LIHEAP assistance only, which helped 343 households in the county during the prior program year.

Wilkins described core programs — LIHEAP energy assistance, crisis assistance (food pantry, short‑term rent/utilities, transportation and medication), weatherization, Head Start (10 classrooms across the service area, with one classroom in Decorah), Family Development and Self‑Sufficiency (FaDSS) home visiting, and transit services. She said Head Start lost nearly $600,000 in state wraparound funds this year and that the agency has had to reduce some services (including before‑and‑after‑school care) as a result.

Martin Art, the agency’s outreach director and general relief director, also spoke about administering Winneshiek County’s general relief program and requested $26,007 for the 2026–27 general relief allocation. He noted that general relief is a funding source of last resort and said fiscal‑year 25 general relief spending totaled $4,358 and assisted 13 households.

Supervisors thanked the agency representatives and discussed housing needs and potential partnership opportunities going forward. No formal funding vote was taken at the meeting.