Ending Poverty by Empowering People

May is National Community Action Awareness Month and the local Community Action Board (CAB) is determined to end poverty in San Benito County.

After a recent strategic planning session, the local CAB revised its mission and vision. The mission of the Community Action Board of San Benito County (CAB) is to assist our vulnerable populations with resources to obtain skills, knowledge and opportunities toward self-sufficiency.

In order to reduce poverty in its community, a Community Action Agency works to better focus available local, state, private, and federal resources to assist low-income individuals and families to acquire useful skills and knowledge, gain access to new opportunities, and achieve economic self-sufficiency. 

San Benito County is a rural community that is home to 58,267 residents, of which 4,078 are under age 5; 16,023 are ages 6-18; and 6,351 are 65 or older. Females make up 49.9 percent of the population and 50.1 percent are male, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2014.The poverty levels in San Benito County are at 11.9 percent.

The ethnic breakdown of the county is 57.9 percent Hispanic or Latino; 36.6 percent white alone, not Hispanic or Latino; 1.3 percent Black or African American; 3.1 percent American Indian and Alaska Native; 3.4 percent Asian; 0.4 percent Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander; 3.3 percent Two or More Races, (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014).

The number of people under the age of 18 in San Benito County who live in poverty is approximately 16.3 percent and of those 5,819 students are eligible for the free lunch program. There are a total of 896 seniors enrolled in high school. 96 (11 percent) students will eventually drop out of high school this year. Those who do finish high school are more likely to function in an increasingly complicated job market and society. Individuals who do not finish high school are more likely to lack basic skills which make them less employable. Adults with limited education levels are more likely to be unemployed, on government assistance, or involved in crime. (CALPADS Data as of 2015).

In 2013, due to the high unemployment rate of 20.6 percent, high bankruptcy rates and high foreclosure rates, San Benito County ranked as the 12th most-stressed county in the nation. As a result, there was a rise in homelessness, which added a great deal of stress on the entire family. The current unemployment rate in the county is at 7.8 percent, which is still high compared to the state average of 6.4 percent and the nationwide unemployment rate of 5.5 percent and almost double of surrounding counties. (Labor Market Report May 2015)

San Benito County ranked last among California’s 58 counties in receiving per-capita, direct payments from the federal government, receiving $4,297 less per capita than the $8,535 state average for counties, according to the most recent data available as published by the U.S. Department of Commerce 2011. Per capita money income for San Benito County is $38,619, compared to the state of California figure of $48,434 (Fred Economic Data 2013).

Affordable housing in this county continues to be a challenge, as 113 families were classified as being in a homeless environment. With the lifting of the 10-plus year sewer moratorium, 100 houses were built in San Benito County in the past year. However, there hasn’t been enough affordable housing units built to meet the demand for housing and as a result our homeless rate has skyrocketed. CSWD has 235 families on the waiting list for rental assistance. It is projected that 2,000-3,000 homes will be built within the next two to three years. The Community Housing Improvement Systems and Planning Association, Inc. (CHISPA) is scheduled in 2016 to develop a 41-unit affordable apartment complex and 13 low-income single family homes in San Benito County. An informational session was held and approximately 1,000 residents seeking affordable housing attended. There were 651 homeless individuals counted in 2015, an increase from 365 in 2013.

CAB is committed to working hard to assist people to become self-sufficient and break the cycle of poverty, not just for themselves but for future generations. In doing so, their philosophy of helping people by changing lives, is the driving force of all the services provided by Community Services & Workforce Development. As CSWD Deputy Director Enrique Arreola states, “Poverty is a reality in San Benito County. With approximately 60 percent of children in our school system eligible for the free and reduced lunch program, it is evident that poverty exists in our community.”

CAB Chair, Shari Stevenson, stated, “It is our duty and obligation to make this community a better place to live. By helping those most in need and by assisting our low-income community members with job training, job placement, utility, housing, rental assistance and supportive services, CAB’s vision is a true testament of their commitment to combat poverty. These statistics are staggering and unacceptable for those living in a state that has innovative technology and wealth just miles away. Local board members are committed to continue to support the county’s most vulnerable population by ensuring a better future for our fellow citizens and a better San Benito County. We are proud to present our new vision statement ‘Ending Poverty by Empowering People.'”