Family of four needs over $74,000 a year to survive in Ventura County

To survive in Ventura County without Cal Fresh (food stamps) or other assistance programs, a family of four needs to make over $74,000 a year.  That “sticker-shock” of how expensive life has become is hard to fathom. According to "The Self-Sufficiency Standard”, a 2011 study conducted by the nonprofit Insight Center for Community Economic Development, and updated in 2014, two adults with two children needed to take in $74,172 a year to cover basic housing, child care, food, transportation, health care and taxes with just $489 left over each month for miscellaneous expenses including clothing, telephone, cable TV, Internet access and entertainment, that’s up from the $70,573 it took in 2011. The problem is that 46.5% percent of households make less than what is necessary to cover those basic expenses, much less have a life. Add to that the increase in food prices and the high cost of housing and the average family is doing good just to get by. Families don’t fair any better living in the Conejo Valley where the cost of housing is higher than county averages. In June, local media outlets reported that the average cost of a house in VC topped $500,000, while rentals pushed towards $2,000 per month. With those monthly expenses it’s no wonder families seek the assistance of Manna. A family of four is considered poor if it makes less than $64,000 a year – according to the same study. When you think about a $64,000 a year income it sounds pretty good. But, in reality the after tax “take-home” pay is just $4,377 per month. Many families who fall below what is needed to survive in the area are also deemed too wealthy to access state and federal programs such as Cal Fresh (food stamps), making local social service providers, like Manna, an essential safety net. Everyone felt hardships during the recession, but what happens during the next economic downturn? How many more families will end up living below the edge of what is a desirable salary in other parts of the country, but barely getting by in the Conejo Valley?  It’s easy to blame or judge people for being strapped, but when you consider 85% of Manna’s existing clients work full-time jobs these numbers are a wake-up call. We have seen the cost of food, health care and housing increase dramatically since 2008 and too often these increases effect even the middle income earner’s ability to make ends meet. The problem is compounded for those making less.  When you want the best for your family and your children life can get terribly tight. Income disparity and economic downturn is the reason Manna was founded 44 years ago, and ever since we have been helping families who find it hard to make ends meet. But, we have not done this alone. For four decades local residents have been committed to helping neighbors in need and we don’t see that commitment ending anytime soon. As the slow recovery from the recession continues and wages stagnate, support from the community is as important as ever, because without food assistance struggling families run the risk of losing their homes and the stability that holds a family together. Sources:   "The Self-Sufficiency Standard”, Insight Center for Community Economic Development US Census Bureau VC STAR