Champions

Sharon C. Goodson is a humble leader who is on a mission to ensure the voice of North Carolina’s disadvantaged and underserved are heard and that access and opportunity is provided them through the work of a statewide network of 34 community action agencies.

For the past 16 years, Goodson has toiled to strengthen staff capacity, public/private partnerships, to diversify the organization’s funding and to highlight the community action network’s collective economic impact. Over the last five years, the Association has garnered investments from Duke Energy, PNC Bank Foundation, NC Department Health and Human Services, Office of Economic Opportunity, NC Department of Public Safety, Office of Rehabilitative Programs and Services, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC that have led to more than $40 million in funding to assist vulnerable North Carolinians as they navigate the challenges associated with having more month than money.

Prior to joining the North Carolina Community Action Association, she served as executive director for a community development corporation where her efforts helped secure a $1.75 million grant to rehabilitate and develop affordable housing in one of the oldest African American