Make Gentle the Life of this World: Family Self-Sufficiency in the Charlottesville Region— Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Nelson counties & the city of Charlottesville, Virginia Orange Dot Report 4.0 By: Ridge Schuyler January 20, 2021 ____________________________________________________ Network2Work@PVCC | Division of Community Self-Sufficiency Programs | Piedmont Virginia Community College 222 South St. W | Charlottesville, VA 22902 | 434.961.5255 Project Purpose In 2018, we set a goal of helping 4,000 families secure quality jobs by 2026. We plan to achieve this goal by identifying struggling families through our Job Seeker Network, connecting them to quality jobs through our Employer Network, and supporting them through our Provider Network. Our approach is to amplify the effects of the region’s extensive support services and economic power by deploying existing social networks to connect those resources more directly to the families struggling in the Charlottesville region. Special thanks to Nick Morrison of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, who produced the excellent maps contained in this report. Executive Summary In our community, 10,940 families (17 percent) do not make enough money to afford the essentials of life—food, shelter, clothing and utilities—and the added costs associated with working—childcare and transportation. The struggle is not equally shared. Thirty-five percent of black families make less than $35,000/year, compared to 14% of white families. Network2Work@PVCC intentionally addresses these struggles. We have enrolled over 1,000 job- seekers, and 85% of those who complete secure employment. Fifty-nine percent of those jobs pay $25,000 or more. Fifty-six percent of our job-seekers are black. In addition to expanding the reach of Network2Work@PVCC, there are ten additional steps our community could take to help our neighbors climb the economic ladder: 1. Increase local procurement. 2. Pilot Open HiringTM. 3. Provide universal pre-K. 4. Offer low-interest loans/grants to pay life expenses while attending school. 5. Pair subsidized housing with opportunities for economic mobility wherever possible. 6. Build more $800/month two-bedroom apartments for working families. 7. Create a community-wide employee assistance program. 8. Expand homeownership and wealth-building through purpose-built condominiums. 9. Make access to capital affordable by providing loan guarantees. 10. Lock shifts. Table of Contents PART I: DEFINING THE ISSUE ISSUE ................................................................................................................. 1 TOO MANY STRUGGLING FAMILIES ................................................................................ 3 SPECIFIC LOCALITY INFORMATION ................................................................................ 10 THE IMPORTANCE OF CORE SKILLS ............................................................................... 31 THE MATTER OF RACE .............................................................................................. 32 PART II: PROVIDING A SOLUTION THE NETWORK2WORK SOLUTION ............................................................................... 39 OUR PERFORMANCE ................................................................................................. 49 PART III: ENHANCING OUR APPROACH OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENHANCEMENT............................................................................ 52 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................... 56 PART IV: HELPING TO LIFT WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? ......................................................................................... 58 EMPLOYERS IN OUR NETWORK .................................................................................... 59 PROVIDERS IN OUR NETWORK..................................................................................... 61 APPENDIX CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE There are 8,644 families living in Charlottesville. Of these, 1,918 families (22 percent) do not make enough money to pay for the essentials of life and the costs associated with working. Charlottesville Expenses: Single Householder + 2 Children (1 Toddler) Annual Monthly Weekly Food $6,344.52 $528.71 $122.01 Clothing $1,090.00 Shelter $15,192.00 $1,266.00 Utilities $2,658.78 $221.56 Necessary Costs $5,057.06 Survival Expenses $30,342.36 Childcare $13,520.00 $1,126.67 $260.00 Transportation $2,588.24 $215.69 TOTAL Expenses $46,450.59 As this table shows, 55% (1,068) of the families who cannot meet their basic needs earn between $15,000-$35,000 annually. This strongly suggests they are working, but not earning the wages, or getting the hours, they need to support their families. Annual Family Income and Charlottesville’s Percentage Benefits Struggling Families $0 - $9,999 509 (27%) 45% $10,000 - $14,999 341 (18%) $15,000 - $24,999 426 (22%) 55% $25,000 - $34,999 642 (33%) Total 1,918 100% Part I: Defining the Issue 28 Part I: Defining the Issue 29 Part I: Defining the Issue 30 Appendix