UCHRA Is Celebrating 50 Years Serving The Upper Cumberland

The Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency is celebrating its 50th Anniversary.

Executive Director Mark Farley said the Agency began as part of Lyndon B. Johnson’s war on poverty. He said in the 50 years the agency has grown to provide over 20 programs on behalf of the state government.

“They designed this concept to be spread across the United States to provide an assistance program or an organization that could administer assistance programs nationwide,” Farley said. “Tennessee implemented there in around 1973.”

Farley said the Agency has grown a lot in the first 50 years, continuously adding more programs. He said it would be hard to pick out one thing the Agency is most proud of about its first 50 years because of how much they have done and continue to do.

“More than anything we’ve been receptive to the needs of the elected leadership here in the Upper Cumberland region,” Farley said. “I do believe over the years whatever the need has been, and it changes from time to time, we’ve been able to respond to that and meet the needs of the community.”

Farley said in the future the agency will continue to start new programs and find new ways to help the community. He said fighting poverty is still the main focus and they are looking at new ways to do business and new partners to work with.

“We’re trying to figure out what social service programs need to look like for the next generation,” Farley said. “Trying to really make an impact on moving people out of poverty.”