2003 SCCAC Client Survey
200 Households
621 Persons
The charts below depict some of the results of
our annual client survey, which provides a sketch of the face of
poverty in Strafford County.
The typical survey respondent is a single parent with a high
school diploma or GED who works at least part time. Who struggles
with bills, especially utility bills. Who doesn't live in
affordable housing. Who receives assistance from Medicaid and
Healthy Kids, but still reports being unable to meet needed
medical or dental costs. There is a 1 in 4 chance that she or
someone in her household suffers a physical or emotional
handicap, and again, a 1 in 4 chance that another person in the
household suffers a physical or emotional handicap. She ranks the
importance of social services to her community somewhat less than
schools and hospitals, but more than police and libraries.
Barriers to advancing her situation include the availability and
cost of child care and transportation, and not least her own
anxiety. Her economic and emotional resources are overwhelmed
daily by issues that many of her more affluent neighbors are
either not concerned with, or view as minor irritants. She is a
valuable but untapped community resource. She needs our
collective help to thrive and flourish.
The heads of households responding to this survey
reported that:
53% of households needed a doctor or dental visit during the past
year but weren't able to go. (It was 58% in the 2001 SCCAC Client
Survey.)
54% have someone in the household who smokes (62% in 2001).
41% have internet access and use it (36% in 2001).
40% needed to visit a food pantry during the past year (45% in
2001).
35% had a telephone disconnected during the past year (35% in
2001)
.
32% have someone in the household who owns a cell phone (28% in
2001).
30% have neither a checking nor a savings account (35.5% in
2001).
26% needed to find affordable housing during the past year and
weren't able to (39% in 2001).
12% have no health insurance coverage for member of the household
(15% in 2001).
Many working parents above the official poverty line do not earn enough to meet their basic requirements for food, housing, transportation, health care, child care, taxes and other necessities. Among low-income households in Strafford County, utility costs are consistently cited most often as a problem cost...
and access to dental care is consistently cited most often as a needed service.
When asked, "Have you ever been interested in attending adult education or job training classes, but felt that you wouldn't be able to?", 92 respondents answered in the affirmative.
It takes more than one adult to keep families out of serious housing stress. Low-income families with only a single earner are more likely to have a critical housing need than families with two or more working adults.
DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN THESE SCCAC PROGRAMS IN
2002?
WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?
HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED IN THE PAST 5 YEARS?
