About Us

SHORE UP! Inc. is a private, non-profit Community Action Partnership* located in Salisbury, on Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore. Formed in 1965, SHORE UP! has been serving low-income and disadvantaged persons on the Eastern Shore for over 50 years. SHORE UP! is an acronym for “Self-Help on Rural Economics and Urban Problems.” Our agency’s main focus is to help people reach economic self-sufficiency.*

We offer services in the areas of employment, education, housing, health care, nutrition, and disabilities.

SHORE UP! has a Board of Directors that helps guide agency policy. Our Executive Director is responsible for all day-to-day operations. There are eight administrators who report to the Executive Director. Currently, SHORE UP! has over 300 employees who work in our service area.

Although SHORE UP! Inc. is a private organization, we receive most of our funding from state and federal grants. We also receive funding from state and local grants, as well as private foundations and businesses. We work closely with our local partners—such as social service agencies, health departments, colleges and universities, and other non-profits—to maximize the programs and services available to our customers and to avoid duplication of services.

Definition of “Self-Sufficiency”:
If a person is economically self-sufficient, he/she can take care of themselves and his/her family, can pay the rent, has a car for transportation, has a job and can pay their bills. The individual does not need to depend on anyone for anything and is off all assistance programs. He/she can pay for daycare for his/her children, can buy groceries, and can pay for life’s necessities.

* Community Action Agencies are non-profit organizations created by the signing of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. This act embodies the philosophy that low-income individuals can best identify the problems their community face and also develop solutions that will resolve the issues.

Mission, Vision & Values

MISSION STATEMENT

SHORE UP! Inc. is dedicated to strengthening communities, achieving goal-driven outcomes, and empowering individuals and families through a comprehensive system of services, resources, and strategic partnerships that charter a path to economic security and long-term independence.

VISION

SHORE UP! Inc. envisions communities on Maryland’s Eastern Shore where individuals and families have the opportunities and resources to live with dignity, achieve their fullest potential, and become economically self-sufficient.

CORE VALUES

  • Integrity

Be honest and consistently exhibit high moral standards and ethical principles in all business matters.

  • Respect

Treat everyone with dignity and respect, while also providing outstanding customer service.

  • Family-Focused

Implement a whole-family approach to service delivery to assist with obtaining stability, improving the functioning level of each household member, and building skills to enhance quality of life.

  • Quality

Maintain a high level of excellence in overall agency operations to enhance impact and effectiveness.

  • Accountability

Be accountable to external stakeholders and show transparency in all programmatic and financial affairs, while also holding internal stakeholders responsible for the work that is assigned to them.

  • Innovation

Research best practices, implement creative strategies and promote an organizational culture that embraces change and encourages forward-thinking ideas to accomplish the agency mission.

These beliefs and values guide our operational strategies, business practices, and relationships with our customers, community, and the employees of SHORE UP! Inc.

Volunteer teacher reading to a class of preschool kids
Group of multiethnic engineers placing solar panel on rooftop

Agency Goals

  1. EMPLOYMENTTo provide programs that will enhance employability skills, job mobility, and increase employment opportunities that will allow individuals and families to earn a decent wage and provide a reasonable standard of living for themselves and their families.
  2. EDUCATIONTo promote developmentally-appropriate quality education, training, and skills that will be necessary to achieve lifelong learning in order to compete in an increasingly global marketplace.
  3. HOUSINGTo increase the availability of affordable, safe, sanitary, and decent housing in order to improve the living conditions in the community and enhance the quality of life for individuals and families.
  4. FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICESTo strengthen family support systems and make available positive interventions in order that families achieve long-term economic self-sufficiency.
  5. HEALTH CARE/NUTRITION/DISABILITIESTo provide accessible, affordable, quality health care services, promote nutritional awareness, and create opportunities that will help children and families maintain optimal well-being and a healthy lifestyle.
  6. AGENCY CAPACITY AND ACCOUNTABILITYTo increase and maintain the agency’s capacity to plan, develop, implement, and evaluate quality programs that will increase customer services and produce long-term results.

Agency Priorities

  1. Employment
  2. Education
  3. Housing
  4. Family Support Services
    • Children/Youth issues: Childcare; Activities for Youth/Children; Teen Pregnancy; Parent Involvement with Children/Schools; Children of Incarcerated Parents
    • Crime: Gangs, Safety
    • Homelessness
    • Transportation
    • Substance Abuse
    • Treatment of Elderly
    • Energy Assistance
    • Participation in Local Community Affairs
    • Services for Persons Coming out of Prison
  5. Health care/Nutrition/Disabilities