Los Angeles Co Library - L.A. County facing growing poverty, erosion of middle class, United Way report says

L.A. County facing growing poverty, erosion of middle class, United Way report says
LA Times Blog – LA Now: February 9, 2010 by Ching-Ching Ni

Los Angeles County faces a poverty crisis and an erosion of the middle class that could worsen under the current economic downturn, according to a report by the United Way.

The county's poverty rate is now higher than the rest of the nation's, according to the report, which surveyed the county's economic situation in 2009. More than 1.47 million people, or 15% of the county's population, live on an income of $22,000 a year for a family of four, the report says. The national average is 13%.

The full report will be available Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the United Way of Greater Los Angeles' website.

Nearly four in 10 people in L.A. County suffer from extreme poverty, the report says; those people live on less than $5,400 a year for a single person or about $11,000 for a family of four.

The jobless rate had soared to 12.3% by early 2009, wiping out all job growth from the previous decade, the report states. Wages remained stagnant and did not keep up with housing costs.

The middle class also felt the pinch, the report says. Only 1% of salaried workers saw significant income growth, while the average worker’s pay fell nearly $2 an hour.

The United Way survey also said the ranks of the working poor swelled in 2009. Defined as families of four making less than $44,000 a year, that group in Los Angeles County is now 7.5% greater than the national average. READ MORE !

Tale of Two Cities has Statistics for: Education, Employment & Income, Homelessness & Housing and Health.

Literacy service begins work at county Wayfarer Center

Literacy service begins work at county Wayfarer Center
Daily Democrat, The (Woodland, CA) - June 28, 2008

The Woodland Public Library Literacy Service opened its doors to a new program, S.T.E.P. (Strength Through Education Program) on June 12 at the Yolo Wayfarer Center.

This ongoing project brings literacy skills to the residents of the Yolo Wayfarer Center.

"It was a great night, and a great beginning to what we hope will be a long running education program at the Center," notes Literacy Coordinator Sue Bigelow, "and we have many people to thank for getting it off the ground especially the Rumsey Community Fund, the Parker Family Foundation, the Yolo Literacy Council and the Woodland Public Library."

STEP is a goal-oriented literacy program working with the residents at the Center in basic literacy, computer skills, GED preparation, and job/housing skills. A team of four tutors works with the residents twice a week within the homeless shelter.

"The program came about in much the same way as our Inmate literacy program, in that we saw a unique opportunity to take education to the learner," notes Bigelow.

The program takes place on Monday and Thursday evenings at the center with work beign done in Reading and Writing skills, Math skills, Job and computer skills and GED preparation. With local elementary schools being out for the summer, we are also planning education programs for children on those evenings, and are exploring athe potential of working with the Wayfarer Center.

"It is truly a team effort between the Wayfarer Center and its staff, the Literacy Service and our tutors, and those who so graciously have supported us financially," notes Bigelow.

More information concerning the Literacy Service and STEP may be obtained by calling the Literacy Service at 661-5987. READ MORE