Home | Contact Us

Poverty in Larimer County is Growing!

Pathways Past Poverty began in response to the alarming statistics of a growing percentage of our Larimer County population living in poverty. The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey has reported:

• In Fort Collins in 2006, 25,603 residents lived in poverty, up from 15,835 in 2000, a 62% increase. We now have 1 in every 5 people living below the poverty level in Fort Collins, or 20% OF OUR POPULATION.
• In Larimer County outside of Fort Collins, we saw a 37% increase up to 9,280 people.

• In Fort Collins 19.2% of all our children younger than 18 live below the poverty rate in 2006 (5,159 children)
• In 2000 the number was 2,216, or 8.7%.
• This is an increase of 132% since the 2000 census.
• In the rest of Larimer County the childhood poverty rate increased 38%, up to more than 2800, from 6% of all youth to 8.7%

• In 2006, in Fort Collins, the number of seniors in poverty was up 24% to about 650
• In Larimer County we saw an increase of 38% to more than 2800.

• In Fort Collins: $45,846 in 2006, down 14.8% since 2000
• The rest of Larimer County: $53,745 in 2006, down 8.7% since 2000

• Between 2000 and 2006 we saw an increase of about 40% of single-mother households in Fort Collins
• That same group increased by about 20% in the rest of Larimer County
• We are seeing a nationwide decline

• In Poudre School District almost 1 in 4 kids qualifies for free or reduced lunch.

These numbers are increases in every category from the 2005, so they show at least a 6 year downward trend in the quality of life of Larimer County residents.

With the poverty rate in Fort Collins at nearly 20% and growing, it became imperative to begin a community dialogue about what we need to do to begin to turn this trend around. The other communities in our county, while not seeing such a drastic increase, are also experiencing strong growth in their poverty rates (1 out of every 7 individuals in Larimer County outside Fort Collins live in poverty).

As the organization focused on health and human services across our county, United Way was the logical choice to convene this conversation, in collaboration with Colorado State University, the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation (NCEDC), The Coloradoan, and various non-profit organizations.

The first important step in beginning to address the cause of the recent increase in poverty is to understand it. Martin Shields, Ph. D., a regional economist with a joint appointment with Colorado State University and NCEDC, has submitted proposals to fund a research project, planned for summer 2008, to explore the causes of this alarming trend. Preliminary results should be available by fall.

Since poverty is such a complex issue it is important to explore solutions from a variety of perspectives. Experts agree that the causes of poverty involve:

• Personal responsibility
• Social climate
• Economic and business climate
• Public policies

There is clearly no single solution that can address each of these causes. Often communities make the mistake of attacking their poverty problem from only one direction. The Pathways Past Poverty initiative is attempting to develop solutions from all four perspectives. In fact, eight “Approach” committees are concurrently focused on exploring these various aspects of addressing poverty:

• Enhancing Childhood Education and Achievement
• Creating More and Better Jobs that Lead to Self-Sufficiency
• Providing Job Training and Increasing Skill Sets
• Increasing Individual Responsibility for Financial Stability
• Providing Solid Foundations for Families
• Addressing Diversity and Inequality
• Strengthening Youth and Families
• Enhancing the Safety Net Through Policy Change

These committees are working simultaneously through a uniform process by which they will develop goals for our Larimer County community to aspire to over the next several years, and then strategies to move us from where we are now to accomplishing those goals. Over a period of nine months they will accomplish the following:

• Identify what is already being done to address this topic in our region, and research ‘Best Practices’ from other communities across the country
• Identify community-wide systemic goals that, if accomplished, would turn the trend of poverty around in our Larimer County community.
• Present these goals to the Steering Committee in April, 2008.
• A community forum will be hosted, also in April, to inform the community and receive feedback about the proposed goals developed by the committees.
• Armed with feedback by the Steering Committee and the community the committees will begin identifying strategies that will be able to move our community toward the goals, the cost of accomplishing the goals, potential partners or collaborations, and how to measure success.
• These recommendations will be presented to the Steering Committee in September, 2008.

This entire process is being overseen by a Steering Committee consisting of community volunteers.

The overarching vision adopted by Pathways Past Poverty is: “We are an engaged community, cooperating to ensure that every individual has their basic needs met, has choices now and has opportunities to thrive, grow and live with dignity in the future.”

The Steering Committee has adopted the following fundamental principles to help guide this initiative. These Principles are significant because they are the values underlying the changes they want to see in our community. As the eight committees begin to develop their goals these principles will be used to better define and evaluate the scope and content of the proposed goals.

All Pathways Past Poverty goals must incorporate a minimum of 5 of these Fundamental Principles:

• Leads to systemic change
• Removes barriers
• Assumes long-term viability
• Encourages synergistic approaches
• Promotes respect and diversity
• Promotes economic health
• Shows measurable change
• Empowers individuals
• Educates the community
• Develops community ownership of the solution”

All sectors of our community are essential to developing and implementing strategies for turning around this trend of growing poverty. Efforts are being made to engage the faith communities, the human service community, government, the education community, and the business community.

Become Part of the Solution

Two successful Community Forums were held in April and May. To view the summary of these forums, click here. To view the full report, click here.

1. Educate your sphere of influence: Create and support opportunities that will promote understanding of the problem of poverty.
2. Join a Committee: If possible, participate on one of the ‘Approach’ committees. It is essential to have representatives from each sector at the table as goals and strategies are developed. This will ensure that all voices are heard and all perspectives are considered.
3. Join the Steering Committee: Assist in overseeing the direction of this initiative and the implementation of the strategies.
4. Assist in implementing the solutions: Meeting the goals developed by the topic committees and adopted by the Steering Committee will require resources and participation from the entire community. Partnerships, cooperation and collaboration among numerous entities will allow for greater long term success toward meeting the goal of reducing poverty.
5. Publicize the initiative: Help positively promote this effort to strengthen our community and keep it a wonderful place to live and work.

To get involved, or for more information contact:
Mary Atchison (matchison@uwaylc.org)
Nicolle Gregg (ngregg@uwaylc.org)
Martin Carcasson (Martin.Carcasson@ColoState.EDU)