United Way Community Needs Assessment finds
Strengths, Weaknesses, and Direction for the Future
Winchester, VA, 4/24/2017 - Conducted every three years, the local United Way Community Needs Assessment evaluates the overall health, education, demographic and financial stability status of the Shenandoah Valley region, identifying the most pressing needs of the community, and helping UWNSV prioritize program funding relating to such needs.
For the 2017-2020 assessment, findings were compiled through forums with industry experts, partner non-profits data contributions, analysis from government agency data, community partnerships studies completed by Valley Health Systems as well as a multitude of additional sources from national organizations and the U.S. Census. Using this information, UWNSV has prepared a set of Health, Education, Financial Stability and Demographic -related priorities and key findings.
The top demographic findings identified through the Needs Assessment were the notation of the significant population increase across all jurisdictions, specifically in Frederick County, reporting a 7.3% population increase from 2016-2017. The Shenandoah Valley region will continue to increase in population, growing an additional 9.8% by 2020. Additional data found that the populations of those 65 and older will be the largest population segment in the region, followed by 25-39 year olds. Race and ethnicity projections show that the region will continue to diversify, with races other than white/Caucasian growing to 22% of the overall population by 2040. Additionally, the percentage of people with a disability has increased slightly each year from 2013-2015, in all jurisdictions, with Page County having the highest percentage of people with a disability at 18.2% of the overall population.
Key Findings in Education noted increased needs in the areas of access to quality and affordable pre-school education, economic disadvantage and access to basic needs, literacy and English language learners, and postsecondary education and workforce development. Specific data in this area uncovered an alarming figure on average childcare costs, noting for a median income family, childcare costs account for 13.7% of income, while a minimum wage family could face childcare costs upwards of 69.4% of their income. Additional findings estimated that over 6,800 children in our region are considered to be in poverty, with Clarke County, Warren County, and Winchester City all seeing an increase in childhood poverty rates from 2010-2015. Alarmingly, 229 Winchester City schoolchildren (or upwards of 5% of the school population) reported as homeless. On a positive note, all jurisdictions have seen an increase in on time graduation rates from 2009-2016, with a rate that is higher than the State of Virginia average.
Data in the Community Needs Assessment indicated several key findings within the area of Financial Stability. The City of Winchester and Page County are experiencing the highest poverty percentages of all area jurisdictions, with both exceeding the US and Virginia averages. Shenandoah County also slightly exceeded the Virginia average. In these three areas, more than a quarter of families are earning less than $25,000 a year. Consequently, SNAP benefit participation has increased from 2013-2015 in all jurisdictions. For families throughout the Shenandoah Valley, basic needs like shelter can be out of reach, with an alarming 81% increase of housing cost burdened households from 2010-2014. At minimum wage, a two-bedroom apartment at fair market value would not be affordable in any of the area jurisdictions. One of the most noted key findings within the 2017-2020 Community Needs Assessment was the dramatic increase of unsheltered homeless from 2016-2017, with the rate increasing 260%. Many of the area homeless are still employed, with all regions experiencing the lowest unemployment rates since 2009. Common barriers to employment in the area were identified as transportation, job opportunities, job/training and childcare.
Several key findings were identified within the Health section.. Four of the six jurisdictions (Frederick, Page, Shenandoah, and Warren) ranked in the bottom half of all counties within the 2016 County Health rankings for “access to care”, including access to mental health care. When examining substance abuse within all jurisdictions, an increase in opioid related deaths has been noted, with deaths from drug overdose expected to increase an additional 25% by 2016. Access to mental health care as a whole has been identified as a key community need. An astonishing 20.6% of middle schoolers within the Lord Fairfax Health District have seriously thought about killing themselves, specifying a dramatic need within the Shenandoah Valley to be addressed.
“This data helps community organizations pinpoint the most prevalent concerns of people within the Shenandoah Valley,” says Darcus Breneman, current President of the UWNSV Board of Directors. “Many of these weaknesses, when addressed thoroughly can lead to improvements in the Education, Financial Stability and Health and well-being of the entire community.”
These findings have directed the formation of the Community Impact Strategy for 2017-2020, through which top community concerns will be addressed. “Through the Community Impact Strategy, we work to enhance and expand current programs within the community and develop new programs, if needed, to address the area’s top concerns,” shared Nadine Pottinga, Community Needs Assessment Author and President and CEO of the UWNSV. “Our community partnerships continue to grow and we look forward to taking this new data as we go forward and working with all of our partners in the community to make our region a better place for all.”
“The Community Needs Assessment allows us to focus our strategy on the most pressing needs of our community,” says Dawn Graves, Executive Director of United Way of Front Royal-Warren County. “We will be working with our current partners to address these needs. We are also looking to the community to assist us in identifying solutions.” United Way of Front Royal-Warren County is forming a Community Advisory Committee to help develop a solutions strategy for the next year.
For more information on the Community Health Needs Assessment or to view the 2017-2020 Community Health Needs Assessment and funding priorities in its entirety, please visit UnitedWayNSV.org
About United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley: Since 1946 the United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley has worked to impact the community human care needs that matter most to the people of Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah Counties and the City of Winchester. United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley convenes the people and organizations necessary to create solutions to our region’s most pressing challenges and collaborates with effective partners. United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley seeks to serve as the catalyst for community change by supporting over 42 partner agencies in the area on Income, Health and Education. For more information visit our website www.unitedwaynsv.org. Follow us on Twitter @UWNSV.
About United Way of Front Royal-Warren County: Since 1949 United Way of Front Royal-Warren County has worked to impact the community human care needs that matter most to the people of Front Royal & Warren County. United Way of Front Royal-Warren County seeks to serve as the catalyst for community change by supporting 11 partner agencies in the area on Income, Health and Education. For more information visit our website www.frontroyalunitedway.org.