A community needs and resources assessment is a process for gathering information to describe a community for the purpose of strategic planning and action. Many well-intended programs simply never work because they fail to address what is most needed by the community. Community assessments can and should be more than just a gathering and analyzing of data, they can also be a basis for creating change. A community based needs assessment can help the district leaders to the well being of their people by addressing their economic well being, educational status, health and welfare. Leaders and administrators can begin to create change either by setting a framework for programs and plans that work toward ending poverty (or helping individuals and families to move up and out) or family stabilization (helping individuals and families to stop moving up and down). It can provide important community information as to who may be working on issues and where gaps in community services lie. It provides an opportunity to meet and develop partnerships to strengthening services for citizens in the area. Finally a community needs assessment helps the administrators in its planning process by providing the foundation for strategic operational planning, assessing if the administration is meeting the needs of the community and determining what programs or projects may have become obsolete and what programs or projects may provide new opportunities for the agency. It is the beginning of a comprehensive strategic planning process.