What do families need to thrive?
They need adequate housing, consistent nutritious food, adequate income, access to transportation, education, language plus good health, physical safety, emotional health – and so much more.
In Union County, thousands of residents’ ability to thrive is hampered by a lack of at least one of those needs. Many lack multiple needs. That’s not surprising since so many needs are intertwined. You can’t have adequate housing, for example, without adequate income, which is impacted by transportation, education, etc.
Many families live on the edge of poverty every day without even adequate food or housing.
Each year, HUD promotes a point-in-time count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night. This year in Union County count identified 58 unsheltered individuals, compared with 49 in 2020. That’s in addition to those living temporary in community shelters.
A lot of poverty is not visible from the streets. Others live in their own home but have very limited income. Hundreds of residents, including senior citizens, are having to choose between food, electricity, housing and prescriptions. As a result, local drive-thru pantries are seeing hundreds of cars as households pick up free food for the family..