External Conditions Subgroup Report

Transcription

1 External Conditions Subgroup Report Group Members: Linda Freund (Chair), Elbie Ancona, Andy Phucas, Bob Mitchell, Jay White Local, state, national and global conditions have an impact upon the assistance demands for the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry. Likely future conditions along with rationale are listed within each group. EXHIBIT 4 Local: Statistics from presentation by Alfie Meek, Ph.D., Director, Community Innovation Services Team, GA Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute Infrastructure Impact: Economics & Demographics presentation to Gwinnett Senior Leadership Group October 8, 2014* Gwinnett County Demographics: Ethnicity 1990 Population 356,979 90% Caucasian 2014 Population 889,195 40% Caucasian; 21% Hispanic; 25% African American; 12% Asian Gwinnett is more diverse than Georgia as a whole U.S. population is 63% Caucasian. Age % ages 20-39; 24.5% ages 40-64; %; 30.5% under % ages 20-39; 32.3% ages 40-64; 65+ 8%; 31% under 20 By 2020 there will be as many senior citizens as school age children in Gwinnett County. The need for appropriate housing and services will greatly increase for the senior population. Income % under $30,000 (poverty) % under $30,000 (poverty) There is an increase in poverty % over $150, % over $150,000 There is an increase in wealth. There is growing disparity between rich and poor % receiving transfer income (primarily food stamps) % Number of people who are dependent on food stamps has more than doubled. Page 1 of 5

2 Poverty Rate % % Poverty rate is increasing in Gwinnett County. Child Poverty Rate % % Child poverty in increasing at an even greater rate! Other Information: 49% of Gwinnett County population receives a check from the federal government (includes Social Security recipients) Nationally, 1 out of 6 people are on Medicaid Nationally, 15,000,000 more people are on food stamps than in Currently 47,000,000 on food stamps (1 out of 6) with a cost of $6 billion per month! Since April 2014 Gwinnett underemployment rising faster than U.S. Prior county commissioner said no homeless in Gwinnett. Call them urban campers. *Attempting to obtain entire power point presentation. All numbers are based on notes from the presentation. Items discussed by subcommittee: Transportation and appropriate housing will become an issue as population ages. Food delivery to senior citizens in need may become a reality. Affordable housing is currently and will continue to be an issue for the poor in Gwinnett County. Increase in poverty rate will result in more need for food and financial assistance. Fiscal impact with less property tax revenue (senior exemptions) for County programs to help the poor. More demands will be placed upon non-profits: the Co-Op. Unemployment and underemployment is an issue with much of the population. Additionally, this will increase as population of military veterans look for work. People continue to come to Georgia looking for work. Statistics reflect there will be more in need and less to fund the need

3 Church attendance and funding may decrease (currently beginning to see evidence of this). Both church and society are changing. Foreclosure and homelessness in increasing. Co-Op statistics confirm this as numbers through the 3 rd quarter 2014 equal the amount spent for all of This does not reflect the true need as often there are not enough motel rooms to house homeless families with children. Anticipate homelessness to increase. Need for overnight shelter when weather is life-threatening. This issue was discussed in connection with the outpouring of help when Atlanta experienced extreme weather in Can churches agree to be open? The Co-Op placed both individuals and families in motels when weather was life threatening. If motel rooms are not available, a plan needs to be developed. The need will be ongoing. State: Georgia Department of Human Services administers the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP aka food stamps). Federal law, as part of the 2009 Recovery act, provided a temporary boost to SNAP benefits. As a result of the increase of people receiving food stamps as well as the amount of the benefit, the Co-Op established guidelines for receiving food assistance. Some people who were previously eligible for food now received sufficient food stamps and should no longer need the help of the Co-Op. Numbers of different households served by the Co-Op has steadily decreased since 2010 mainly because food stamps have filled the need we previously met. Food stamps were reduced November 1, 2013, but the Co-Op has seen little increase in number of clients as a result. If food stamps were significantly reduced or eliminated, the impact would be devastating. The demand for food upon the Co-Op would be overwhelming. Also, the Co-Op currently receives approximately 30% of its food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB). If ACFB s funds were cut or food no longer, the impact upon the Co-Op would be significant. National: September 11, 2001 the date of the World Trade Center attack - had an immediate impact on the Co-Op. The Director s Report of November 15, 2001: Our client base is increasing dramatically. Since September 11 th we have seen 723 clients. Of this number, 205 were families we had never seen before 28% of our clients were new! We have applied for Operation Homefront monies from United Way. Distribution of funds must directly relate to the September 11 th tragedy. We have requested $25,000 to be used to pay full months rent for those who have lost jobs or otherwise directly affected by 9-11 Giving has increased since September 11 th. We have had good newspaper coverage from the Gwinnett Daily Post and Channel 2 did a live feed from in front of our building. In October alone we helped with financial assistance in the amount of $10,984. This is more in one month than the entire amount spent in the 3 rd quarter (July Sept) of $10,718. As Director, I recall that we had one client in tears. Her sister was a Page 3 of 5

4 food service worker in the restaurant at the top of the World Trade Center. She asked for prayer. Not only was this a time of physical need, it demonstrated the spiritual need of those who came to us. The country and the world changed on Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in August 2005 followed by Hurricane Rita in less than a month. Within days, evacuees moved throughout the United States seeking temporary shelter. Atlanta and Lawrenceville experienced many of these Hurricane Katrina victims. The following excerpt from the October 2005 Director s Report reads, With the pantry close to depletion, the Gulf Coast was hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Almost immediately we started seeing relatives of our clients who had moved in with them to escape the disaster. An already needy household now had as many as 20 people staying there and needing food. We notified our supporting churches via of the impending need, and they, along with the community, responded. As a result, the month of September brought in a new record food donation from multiple sources of 64,620 items! Volunteers worked long hours to receive, count, sort, and shelve the donations. Off-site storage has been provided to us at no cost! Last year, through September, we had received 195,213 pantry items. This year we have received 275,577 pantry items an increase of 80,364 items! Many of these evacuees stayed in the area permanently resulting in an increase in demand for Co-Op services of food and financial assistance. The financial collapse in September 2008 had an impact on the Co-Op. We saw 1,088 more households in 2008 than in People who had never needed help before began to come for assistance. People lost their jobs. Availability of full time employment remains a factor in the lives of most of our clients. Many people heard there were jobs in our area and relocated here without jobs. What they discovered was that there were no jobs here either. The United States housing bubble ( ) affected many of our clients. Mortgages were given to families who could not afford the payments. Many were placed into foreclosure. This was the beginning of the rise in homelessness. Client assistance for rent (mostly for motels) was $2,568 in In 2007 the number increased $18,094, reaching a maximum of $30,636 in YTD 2014 (thru October 21)) the Co-Op has spent a record $30,649 in rental (motel) assistance. More money could have been spent this year, but motels did not have room availability. This mostly reflects housing for families with children. A future national disaster (natural or economic) would have an impact upon the Co-Op with increased demand for food, shelter, medicine, and utility assistance. If amnesty is granted to illegal immigrants, the impact upon the Co-Op may be significant. In 2009 Gwinnett County had a reduction of illegal immigrants which led to a reduction in the Hispanic population served by the Co-

5 Op. If this illegal status is lifted, the impact might result in increased population served by the Co-Op. The Affordable Health Care Act has not significantly improved the health/wellness of our clientele. A recent article in the Gwinnett Daily Post about the Good Samaritan Clinic confirms that the need has increased for health care. The Director said that their demand for services had tripled in the past two years. Low income people not on Medicaid cannot afford premiums or deductibles. The need for affordable/available healthcare for the poor will be a concern in the future. Global: There are wars and rumors of wars. There is terrorist activity abroad as well as at home. If our country becomes involved in war or a local event of terrorism occurred, the Co-Op might be impacted by increase needs. There are infectious diseases (i.e.ebola) which could have an impact if an pandemic occurred. There would be need for increased basic needs and healthcare. BOTTOMLINE CONCLUSION: We do not know what the future brings, but we are assured that GOD IS WITH US! He will provide for all our NEEDS just at the right time. Let us be like the Good Samaritan. Help us to see people who are in need and to respond as the body of Christ to help meet their needs. Page 5 of 5