On average, a person seeking help from Crisis Assistance Ministry earned $1,043 in the last 30 days. The agency helps people pay basic bills and food costs.
The agency served 81,060 people last year with financial assistance, counseling and other aid; 6,982 of those people were seeking help for the first time.
Fewer than 23,000 people were assessed for help paying housing and utilities.
In 2006, 8.4 percent of families in Mecklenburg County were below the poverty level. The U.S. average was 9.8 percent.
That same year, 11.3 percent of individuals in the county were below the poverty level. The U.S. average was 13.3 percent.
Average household income in Mecklenburg County was $51,945 in 2006, compared to the U.S. average of $48,451.
Sources: Crisis Assistance Ministry, U.S. Census Bureau
This article appears in Nov 28 – Dec 4, 2007.
