Facing Facts 2009

 A Community-Needs Assessment

Women in Philanthropy has adopted this report as a tool to help us inform our funding and advocacy choices.  This research was commissioned by the Central Carolina Community Click to visit Facing-Facts.orgFoundation, Central Midlands Council of Governments, Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina and United Way of the Midlands. To see the report in detail go to www.Facing-Facts.org.

Findings from Residents and Leaders
Analysis of responses from residents and community leaders identified four central issues, which are detailed in the Facing Facts 2009 assessment of health and human service needs in Richland and Lexington counties. This survey continues the work of defining and prioritizing areas for attention begun with the first Facing Facts survey in 2004. Supported by this analysis, the community and its leaders, funders and service providers can work together to implement strategies that create real, ongoing and lasting change. 
 
  • Poverty and the Struggle to Meet Basic Needs — the daily toil to pay for housing, utilities, food, clothing and legal help.
  • Access to Affordable Health Care — the struggle to obtain medical and dental services and then pay for prescription drugs with or without having health insurance.
  • Education that Provides Workforce Skills — the inability to secure a job, especially a well paying job,  coupled with the lack of a placeto gain job skills and money for education.
  • Transportation — the difficulty in getting to work, school or services without having gas and money for a car or widely available mass transit.
Most people do not face these issues in isolation. There is a clear relationship between education, job skills and the ability to pay for housing and basic needs and provide a means to cover health care costs. Transportation is a barrier to accessing health care, safety net services and work. Findings about transportation difficulties are detailed as part of the other focus areas.
Answers given by community members gave an extensive list of problems faced and services needed. Community leaders' responses mirrored many of the problems faced by community members.
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Facing Facts 2009 offers a vision for a common agenda and collaborative efforts to help the neediest residents while creating a better community as a whole. Facing Facts 2009 information was collected in the summer and fall of 2008. Community members and leaders participated in the process through interviews, discussion groups and surveys.  The most updated demographic, health, social and economic data were compiled to provide a foundation for the perspectives provided by the community.