San Diegans Speak About Money and Opportunity

June 7, 2013 - PRLog -- SAN DIEGO (June 7, 2013) – No one wants to talk about it, but everyone needs it: Money.

This is what United Way (http://www.uwsd.org/) heard from hundreds of San Diegans over the past two years. The nonprofit has released the results of these candid “community conversations” in its second “Voices for the Common Good” report (http://issuu.com/uw_sandiego/docs/uwsd_voices_report_2013): “San Diego Speaks Out on Opportunity,” underwritten by Bank of America.

People talked about the need for jobs, transportation and affordable childcare, the bureaucratic public assistance process and the ongoing quest for self-sufficiency. And, although the economy and available supports are improving, there is much more progress to be made.

“For too long, the measure of success has been moving people ‘out of poverty.’ What we know now is that too many are ‘technically’ out of poverty, but still can’t make ends meet,” said Doug Sawyer, president and CEO, United Way of San Diego County. “We must continue to simplify the system and communicate the improvements, so San Diegans know the resources available. We need to address the issues of those who are ‘working hard, but falling short.’”

“Bank of America recognizes the connections between financial understanding, workforce opportunities and the basic safety net needs of the community,” said Rick Bregman, San Diego market president, Bank of America. “The United Way’s new report aligns with our own focus on addressing the critical needs of hunger, jobs, housing and better money habits. San Diego’s rich network of resources demonstrates that we are all better when we are connected.”

The information revealed in the report can help business, government, nonprofit and others to make changes in their policies, organizations and initiatives.

Findings include:

Many San Diegans can’t make ends meet.

Those who struggle fall into two categories: in crisis, or barely managing. While in crisis or “survival” mode, paying rent and feeding children are paramount, while planning ahead is merely a dream. To break the cycle and move people toward self-sufficiency, United Way’s Bright Futures program has taught thousands of San Diegans budgeting, financial goal setting and debt management.

People have difficulty understanding and accessing resources and public benefits.

A complicated web greets those trying to access benefits. Federal, state and local assistance programs all have different qualifying income hurdles. Many families give up or never begin accessing the benefits that could help them. However, in recent years, at least one entity, the County of San Diego, has moved towards simplifying policies and procedures to access public benefits, such as through 2-1-1, ACCESS (866-262-9881) and local Family Resource Centers.

People need jobs, but trainings don’t always match job openings.

Many existing training programs don’t lead to or match the capabilities employers seek. Even for those who do have a solid education, the kind of employment available doesn’t always align with reality. United Way is helping with this issue, having funded the San Diego Futures Foundation to train dozens of individuals for IT occupations; 80 percent of participants secured a job or advanced their careers.

Lack of childcare and transportation are major barriers to getting and keeping jobs.

When people aren’t preoccupied with concerns like childcare and transportation, they become more reliable employees. Yet, the demand for childcare in San Diego exceeds the supply, and many who want to buy a car are stuck with high interest loans. To help, United Way and the Leichtag Foundation launched the nationally proven Ways to Work, a program that provides financial education and short-term, affordable car loans to working families with challenged credit.

The overarching finding? Education, income and health are connected. A vicious cycle that links these three issues together can leave a family just one crisis, one paycheck or one unexpected expense away from disaster. Consider this: The number one cause of bankruptcies is medical expense. So, it is critical that all three issues – education, income and health – are addressed jointly.

For the full report, visit http://www.uwsd.org and click on the “Voices for the Common Good: San Diego Speaks Out on Opportunity” icon on the bottom left.

About United Way of San Diego County

United Way of San Diego County is part of a network of nearly 1,800 community-based United Ways around the world. Locally, United Way is creating sustainable change in the areas of education, income, health and homelessness. In addition to the Bright Futures financial self-sufficiency initiative, we are leading the effort to end chronic homelessness through Home Again, a public engagement campaign, and Project 25, which focuses on the most costly and vulnerable homeless individuals. United Way is a key partner in a number of Education initiatives throughout the county. We harness the collective power of nonprofits, community leaders and thousands of individuals to create change by giving, advocating and volunteering. LIVE UNITED is a call to action for everyone to get involved. To learn more, visit http://www.uwsd.org, our Blog (http://www.uwsd.org/blog), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/United-Way-of-San-Diego-Cou...) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/liveunitedsd).