Economic Resilience – United Way of Central Eastern California

Helping Families Become Financially Stable and Independent

Federal government standards show 18% of Kern County families live in “poverty”. What the federal numbers don’t show are the thousands of families living above the “poverty line” but still unable to make ends meet.

According to a study by United Ways of California, one in three Kern County families does not earn enough money to meet their basic needs (e.g. housing, food, clothing, transportation) without assistance. See the full study A Portrait of CA.

Did You Know?

According to the Kern County Department of Human Services, 16,900 families in Kern County receive cash aid.
According Housing California, a minimum wage earner in Kern County would have to work 106 hours a week to afford a Fair Market Rental apartment in our area.
According to RealtTrac, for April 2011, the County of Kern has one in every 172 in a home foreclosure.

The median Kern County household income for 2010 was $47,089 of that 20.6% live below poverty according to the US Census Bureau. Families are walking a financial tight-rope with no ability to save for college, a home, or for retirement. With your help, United Way of Central Eastern California is working to help these families establish a firm financial footing. We are working in collaborative efforts and providing financial support to programs that:

Help hard-working people obtain free income tax assistance and claim all the tax benefits they’ve earned through VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance).
Prevent and reduce HOMELESSNESS
AND HUNGER.

Learn move about our VITA partnership here

Call 2-1-1 or 661-834-1820 for a Kern VITA Partnership site nearest YOU!