The use of community resources by those in poverty in Eau Claire County during 1994 and 1998

Abstract

This research study involved the use of a survey instrument to collect data for descriptive research. A written questionnaire was given to potential subjects at an Eau Claire food pantry. The data analysis involved the usage frequency of the services and resources in Eau Claire County by the subjects in Sections 1, 2 and 3 of the survey. Section 1 of the survey included demographic characteristics of the subjects. For Section 2 mean responses were collated. A summation of the frequency of use of community services and resources for all participants in the survey was completed for Section 3 of the survey. The purpose of this research study was to investigate whether or not there was a difference between the frequency rates of public and private community services and resources in Eau Claire County before and after the implementation of the Wisconsin Welfare Reform Program, W-2. Usage data from service and resource providers in Eau Claire County was collected from the years 1994 and 1998 and compared with the data collected from the survey instrument. The data collected will be shared with the Eau Claire County Human Services Department, W-2 program, the Eau Claire County Board, the County Extension Service, the St. Francis Food Pantry, as well as other individual service and resource providers in the City of Eau Claire who assisted in the data collection process. The information may be used to determine future funding allocations within Eau Claire County. The results also provided hard data from people who currently received services and utilized resources within Eau Claire County.