U.S. Representative Sanford Bishop recognizes the Agency for exemplary commitment to assessing and
meeting the needs of the community.  Shown (l-r) are Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce &
Economic Development Authority President Darrell Moore, CAC Chief Executive Myrtis Mulkey-Ndawula,
CAC Board Chair James Yates, and Michael Bryant of Representative Bishop's office.

 

Excerpts from the
2008 Community Assessment

Notable Demographic Facts and Trends

The Georgia County Guide estimates that the 18-county service area is comprised of 410,947 residents.  The racial/ethnic composition of the 18-county population is 56.3% Caucasian, 42.0% African American, and 4.0% Hispanic or Latino.  (Persons of Hispanic/Latino origin may be of any race.  Therefore, percentages may not add to 100%.)  In comparison, the Georgia population ratios are 65.8% Caucasian, 29.9% African American, and 7.5% Hispanic or Latino. 

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 22.1% of the 18-county population lives below the poverty level, compared to an estimate of 14.5% statewide.  These percentages represent an increase from 19.8% and 13.0% three years earlier.  Based on this data, it is estimated that 90,820 individuals in the 18-county area live below the poverty rate and, therefore, comprise the segment of the population targeted for Agency services.  This represents an increase of 10,676 persons compared to three years earlier. 

In comparison, U.S. Census Bureau estimates reveal that 31.9% of children under the age of 18 in the 18-county live below the poverty level.  This represents an increase from 27.2% three years earlier and remains far above the state percentage of 20.3%. 

The Georgia County Guide reveals that 29,536 children under the age of 5 live within the 18 counties provided Head Start/Early Head Start services.  Therefore, it is estimated that 11,815 children ages 3-5 and 17,721 children ages 0-3 reside in these counties.  The U. S. Census Bureau estimates that 32.2% of the children under the age of 5 in these counties live below the poverty level.  Based on this percentage, it is estimated that 3,799 children ages 3-5 live below the poverty level and, therefore, are income eligible for Head Start.  It is estimated that an additional 5,698 children ages 0-3 live below the poverty level and are income eligible for Early Head Start services.

·   Nearly one third (32.2%) of the children less than 5 years of age in the 18 counties provided Head
     Start/ Early Head Start services live in poverty -- almost 12% above the statewide percentage of
     20.3%.

·   Seventeen (17) of the 18 counties provided Head Start services have a higher percentage of children under age 5 living in poverty than the State rate of 20.3%.

·   Approximately 3,799 children ages 3-5 in the 18 counties provided Head Start services are eligible for Head Start based on income alone.  In comparison, CAC is authorized to serve a total of 2,263 children through Head Start.

·   Approximately 5,698 children ages 0-3 in the 18 counties provided Head Start services are eligible for Early Head Start based on income alone.  In comparison, CAC is authorized to serve a total of 180 infants, toddlers, and pregnant women through Early Head Start.

·   A lower percentage of the Southwest Georgia population is between the primary income earning age ranges of 18-54 and 18-64 in comparison with the State (49.9% to 54.1% & 60.6% to 64.0%).  The economic implications are that in Southwest Georgia the wage earning population must support a proportionately larger non-income earning population in comparison with the State.  However, the per capita income in Southwest Georgia ($24,220) is nearly $6,700 below the State per capita income ($30,914), a disparity that has steadily increased in recent years.

·   The percentage of Southwest Georgians under the age of 18 is 26.5%, compared to 26.0% statewide.  This indicates that a slightly higher percentage of wage earners are expected to enter the work force in the next 15-20 years in comparison with the State.  However the Southwest Georgia percentage has dropped 1.3 % in the last six years while the statewide percentage has only dropped 0.5%.  Will those under age 18 stay in Southwest Georgia, and will there be jobs available for them if they do stay?

·   The percentage of Southwest Georgians ages 55 and above is 23.1% compared to 19.8% statewide, while the percentage of Southwest Georgians ages 65 and above is 12.4% compared to 9.8% statewide.  The percentage of the population ages 55 and above has steadily increased in recent years due to the baby boomer generation.  In comparison to the State, a much larger percentage of the Southwest Georgia population has reached retirement age or is nearing retirement.  Predominantly rural areas with high concentrations of retirees typically lack disposable income in comparison to areas with lower concentrations of retirees, and exhibit a high need for health care, specialized health care, and health insurance.

·   The percentage of persons living below the poverty level is 7.6% higher in Southwest Georgia than statewide (22.1% to 14.5%), meaning that more than one in every five Southwest Georgians lives in poverty.  The percentage of persons living below the poverty level exceeds 25% in 6 counties.

·   The percentage of persons receiving Medicaid is almost 10% higher in Southwest Georgia than statewide (34.0% to 24.3%).

·   While TANF rolls have decreased dramatically in recent years, the percentage of Southwest Georgians receiving TANF (1.3%) is almost twice the statewide percentage of 0.7%.

·   The percentage of Southwest Georgians receiving Food Stamps (18.7%) is almost twice the statewide percentage of 10.1%.

·   Seventeen (17) of the 18 counties have a higher percentage of female headed households without a husband present than the statewide percentage of 20.6%.  The overall rate for Southwest Georgia is 27.3%.

·   More than one-third (40.0%) of the 18-county Hispanic/Latino population and almost one-half (45.4%) of the 14-county Hispanic/Latino population reside in Colquitt County.  The Hispanic/Latino segment represents 14.8% of the total population of Colquitt County.  According to the Georgia County Guide, only two other counties have a Hispanic population in excess of 5% (Grady 9.5%, Marion 7.7%).  (It is commonly recognized among local public officials, as well as the general public, that census estimates for the Hispanic/Latino population throughout Southwest Georgia are grossly underestimated.)

·   The statewide percentage of first births to mothers age 20 and older with 12 years of education is 66.4%.  Only one county (Lee) in Southwest Georgia exceeds this rate, with 9 counties ranking among the 40 counties in Georgia with the lowest percentage.

·   The percentage of births in Southwest Georgia to mothers with less than 12 years education (30.7%) is almost 7% above the statewide percentage of 23.8%.  All but three counties (Calhoun, Lee, and Miller) exceed the state percentage.  Nine (9) counties are 30.0% or above, ranking them among the 50 counties in Georgia with the highest percentage.

·   The statewide percentage of births to mothers who received prenatal care in the first trimester is 83.4%.  Eleven (11) of 18 counties fall short of 83.4%.  Three counties (Grady, Schley, Seminole) are below 70% and Marion County is below 60%, ranking these counties among the lowest counties in the state.

·   Georgia KIDS COUNT calculates a Healthy Start Index utilizing the following formula: Numerator = number of infants born in-state to Georgia residents weighing 2500 grams or more to mothers receiving prenatal care in the first trimester who also did not drink alcohol or smoke during pregnancy.  Denominator = number of infants born in-state to Georgia residents.  The state index is 70.7%.  Sixteen (16) of 18 counties do not meet the state index, with 7 counties ranking among the lowest 50 counties in Georgia.  Three counties (Grady, Marion, Seminole) have an index below 50%.

·   The percentage of births that are low birth weight births (less than 2500 grams) is higher in Southwest Georgia than statewide (11.0% to 9.6%).  Seven counties exceed 10%, with three counties (Terrell 17.7%, Calhoun 19.8%, and Early 22.4%) at or above twice the state percentage.

·   Well more than half of the births in Southwest Georgia are to unwed mothers.  The percentage of live births to unwed mothers (56.9%) versus total births is almost 15% above the state percentage of 42.4%.  Only one county (Lee) does not exceed the state percentage.  At 73.5%, Terrell County tops the list of 16 counties in Southwest Georgia that exceed 50%.

·   Thirteen (13) of 17 counties have a higher teen pregnancy rate than the statewide rate of 34.2 per 1,000 females ages 10-19.  County data is available for counties with five (5) or more events on which to base rates.  Baker County had less than 5 events, so data for the county was unavailable.

·   Within Georgia 20.6% of teens ages 15-19 who gave birth in 2006 had given birth previously.  County data is available for counties with five (5) or more events on which to base rates.  Twelve counties in Southwest Georgia have five or more events, with 11 of the 12 counties exceeding the state rate.

·   Half of the 20 school systems in Southwest Georgia exceed the state percentage (18.3%) of students in grades K-5 that are enrolled in early intervention programs.  Calhoun County is significantly higher than the state, with 30.5% of K-5 students enrolled in early intervention programs.

·   Fifteen (15) of 18 school systems reporting exceed the state percentage (4.4%) of students in grades 9-12 enrolled in remedial education.  Ten (10) of the 15 school systems exceed 10%, with 4 of the 10 exceeding 20% and 2 of the 4 exceeding 30%.

·   Eleven (11) of the 20 Southwest Georgia school systems have a dropout rate that exceeds the State rate of 4.1%.  Two school systems (Terrell County and Pelham City) have dropout rates that are 10% or higher.

·   Twelve (12) of the 18 Southwest Georgia school systems reporting fall below the 2006-2007 State graduation rate of 72.3%.

·   Seventeen (17) of the 18 Southwest Georgia school systems reporting have an average SAT score lower than the state average of 1483.  Ten (10) school systems have average scores below 1400, with two (2) of those below 1300.

·   Eighteen (18) of the 20 Southwest Georgia school systems exceed the state percentage (50%) of children eligible for free/reduced price school lunch.  Fifteen (15) school systems exceed a rate of 60%, with 7 of those systems exceeding a rate of 70%, 3 of the 7 exceeding 80%, and 1 of the 3 exceeding 90%.

·   Fourteen (14) of the 18 Southwest Georgia school systems reporting fall below the state percentage (38.1%) of 2007 graduates eligible for the Georgia HOPE scholarship.  Six (6) school systems are below 30%, with Worth County the lowest at 14.9%.

·   Juvenile arrests account for 21.9% of total index (serious crime) crime arrests in Georgia.  However, juvenile arrests account for a significantly higher percentage of arrests in Southwest Georgia – more than one quarter of all index crime arrests at 28.1% in the 14-county area and 26.4% in the 18-county area.

·   Mobile homes account for 22.9% of total housing units in Southwest Georgia, nearly double the percentage statewide (12.0%).

·   Total housing units increased by 6.1% (10,087 units) in Southwest Georgia from 2000 to 2006.  In comparison, the increase throughout Georgia was 18.0% -- three times the percentage in Southwest Georgia.  However, the increase of 2,377 units in Lee County represented a 27.0% increase.

·   The percentage of owner-occupied and renter-occupied housing units in the 18-County Southwest Georgia area is similar to the statewide percentage (owner-occupied Southwest 67.2% vs. State 67.5%, renter-occupied Southwest 32.8% vs. State 32.5).  However, the percentage of owner-occupied and renter-occupied housing units in Dougherty County, the most populous county in the service area, are 53.5% and 46.5% respectively.

·   The percentage of vacant housing units in Southwest Georgia is approximately 3% higher (11.3% in the 14-county area & 11.5% in the 18-county area) than the statewide percentage of 8.4%.

·   Twelve (12) of the 18 Southwest Georgia counties have higher rental vacancy rates than the State rate of 8.2%, with 7 counties exceeding a rate of 10.0%.

·   The average household size of owner-occupied housing units is lower than the State average of 2.71 in 15 of the 18 Southwest Georgia counties.  Conversely, the average household size of renter-occupied housing units is higher than the State average of 2.51 in 15 of the 18 Southwest Georgia counties.

·   Based on fair market rent for two-bedroom housing in Southwest Georgia, the hourly wage necessary working 40 hours per week to afford fair market rent ranges from $9.15 to $10.96 depending on the county.  Federal minimum wage effective 7/24/07 is $5.85/hour, effective 7/24/08 is $6.55/hour, and effective 7/24/09 is $7.25/hour.

Identified Community Strengths

·     Southwest Georgia Community Action Council, Inc. - On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being excellent, the community survey average ratings for the Agency ranged from a low of 3.84 for "variety of services" to a high of 4.13 for "quality of Head Start services".  Of those surveyed who have been provided a housing service by the Agency, 93.48% indicated that they would recommend the service they received to others who need the same service.  The Agency also boasts a payroll in excess of 600 employees, providing significant support for the local tax base and furthering economic diversity for the region

·     Southwest Georgia is home to four technical colleges, two 2-year degree colleges, two senior/master’s state universities, and one senior/master’s private university.  Three of the technical colleges have campuses in more than one county.  Several other 2- and 4-year post-secondary schools offer off-campus courses within the service area.

·     The cost of living in Southwest Georgia is comparatively low to the state and national average cost of living.

·     Southwest Georgia boasts an abundance of natural resources such as water, woodlands, and tillable farmland.

·     Southwest Georgia produces an abundance of various agricultural products including cotton, peanuts, fruits, vegetables, and timber.  The region's agricultural industry provides numerous jobs within the area.

·     Some counties in Southwest Georgia are experiencing an influx of new industry that is providing new employment opportunities and is helping provide greater diversity for the local economy.

·     Planning and management of Coordinated Transportation services by the Southwest Georgia RDC ensures that fees for the service are reasonable and are reinvested in Southwest Georgia to perpetuate the service.

·     The city of Moultrie, located in Colquitt County, hosts the annual Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition.  This exposition is the largest agricultural equipment show in the eastern United States.  The exposition attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each October, many who reside out of state and even internationally.  The result is an economic boost to the area as visitors stay in hotels, dine in restaurants, purchase fuel, and patronize other businesses while passing through southwest Georgia.

·     The city of Colquitt and Miller County is home to the nationally renowned Swamp Gravy series of original folk life theatrical performances, bringing local stories of southern tradition to life as portrayed by local residents.  The performances attract audiences from near and far.

·     Southwest Georgia boasts a wealth of public and private outdoor recreational opportunities including public fishing, hunting, boating, camping, and hiking.

·     Often identified as a weakness, the fact that southwest Georgia is largely a rural area is now, in some respects, considered a strength.  Needs inherent to rural areas that have typically been overlooked are now being recognized by grant funding sources (e.g. transportation, infrastructure, job creation, the One Georgia initiative, etc.).

·     The percentage of Southwest Georgians who seek assistance due to homelessness is relatively
       low.

Identified Community Weaknesses/Needs

·     The Southwest Georgia economy is primarily based on and influenced by agriculture, which can be adversely and unexpectedly impacted by natural disasters, drought, pestilence, etc.

·     There is a lack of diversity in employment opportunities and the skills of the labor force across the service area.  Business and industrial development is needed to increase economic diversity that would be desirable for population and economic growth.

·     Much of Southwest Georgia is located away from transportation routes, limiting economic growth opportunities.

·     Distribution of population over a large rural area such as Southwest Georgia leads to a high cost of providing services.

·     Eleven (11) of the 18 Southwest Georgia counties are designated by Georgia Department of Community Affairs as Tier 1 counties, identifying them among the 71 least developed counties in the state.  Four counties are Tier 2 counties, and three counties are designated as Tier 3.  No counties in the CAC service area are designated as Tier 4, the classification identifying the most developed counties in the state.

·     Population growth across the region lags behind population growth statewide.  Declining populations characterize eleven (11) counties.  Continuation of this trend will produce a limited labor force and negatively impact the area economy in a variety of other ways such as loss of tax revenue and diminished public grant funding.  The trend also threatens to weaken Southwest Georgia’s political voice within Georgia.

·     There exists a historic trend in Southwest Georgia toward population out migration of young economically active persons, further limiting the labor force and weakening the tax base.

·     A lower percentage of the Southwest Georgia population is between the primary income earning age ranges of 18-54 and 18-64 in comparison with the State.  The economic implications are that in Southwest Georgia the wage earning population must support a proportionately larger non-income earning population in comparison with the State.

·     The top community service needs identified through the community survey were:

      1.   Affordable Health Insurance (6.07% of all identified needs)
2.   Job Placement Assistance (5.89% of all identified needs)
2.   Affordable Rental Housing (5.89% of all identified needs)
3.   Summer Youth Programs (5.30% of all identified needs)
4.   Utility Bill Payment Assistance (4.78% of all identified needs)
5.   Child  Care (4.47% of all identified needs)

·     Southwest Georgia has a high poverty rate (Eighteen county percentage of 22.1%, compared to 14.5% statewide; 32.2% of children under the age of 5 in the eighteen county Head Start service area, compared to 20.3% statewide).

·     Educational attainment within the service area is substantially lower than in Georgia and the nation, with 12 of 18 school systems reporting graduation rates below the 2006-2007 State graduation rate of 72.3%.  Eleven (11) of 20 school systems have a higher dropout rate than the State rate.  Average SAT scores are below the State average in all but one school system, with the State average being one of the lowest in the nation.

·     A common need is involvement of fathers in the lives of their children.  One-third (33.2%) of community survey respondents indicated that the father was not an active part of their child’s life.  The most popular suggestions from survey respondents were for Head Start to host father/child days more often (16.74% of responses), to make participation mandatory through child support enforcement (15.88%), and to provide more male-centered activities/workshops (14.96%).

·     The stability of the family unit is generally weak.  More than half of total births are to unwed mothers.  More than one-quarter of all households are female-headed households without a husband present.  Thirteen (13) of 18 counties have a higher teen pregnancy rate than the statewide rate.  Eleven (11) of 18 counties in Southwest Georgia exceeded the statewide percentage of teens ages 15-19 giving birth in 2006 who had given birth previously.

·     More substantial support services are needed for single heads of households.

·     The general health of expectant mothers, infants, and children in Southwest Georgia is below average.  For example, Georgia KIDS COUNT publishes a Healthy Start Index that considers the number of infants born in-state to Georgia residents, the number of infants weighing 2500 grams or more at birth, and mothers receiving prenatal care in the first trimester who also did not drink alcohol or smoke during pregnancy.  Sixteen (16) of 18 counties do not meet the State index.

·     The "housing" portion of the community survey indicated a perceived need for affordable quality rental property and housing for purchase.  Respondents were asked to identify the top three affordable housing issues for low-income households from among a list of 12 issues.  The issues identified most often were as follows:

      1.   Rental Prices Too High (16.86%)
2.   Not Enough Decent Housing Available (14.83%)
3.   Housing in Poor Condition (12.65%)
4.   Bad Locations or Blighted Areas (11.33%)
5.   Rent Increases Too Much if Income Increases (9.55%)

·     Community survey participants were asked to identify the actions Southwest Georgia Community Action Council could take that would reduce the problems in providing decent housing for low-income households.  Respondents were given ten (10) options to choose from.  The issues identified most often were as follows:

      1.   Help Single Mothers Obtain Affordable Housing (17.83%)
2.   Pursue Affordable Housing Development/Build Affordable Housing (16.25%)
3.   Provide First-time Homebuyer Assistance (13.60%)
3.   Build Affordable Housing in Safer Areas (13.60%)
4.   Provide Housing Counseling/Education on Budgeting, Down-payment, Upkeep, Financing Options (13.01%)

·     The perception exists that it is too difficult to get a housing loan, especially for first-time homebuyers.  Clients commonly indicate that they are capable of meeting monthly mortgage payments if they could obtain assistance in meeting down-payment requirements.

·     The overall quality of the housing stock in Southwest Georgia is below par in comparison with the remainder of the state.  For example, the percentage of total housing units in Southwest Georgia that are mobile homes is almost twice the percentage statewide.

·     Community survey results revealed that almost one third of respondents (31.72%) believe that public housing is not available without discrimination, while almost half (44.34%) do not believe that private housing is usually available without discrimination.  More than one-third (37.19%) indicate a belief that housing discrimination is not becoming less common.

·     The majority of the Hispanic population of Southwest Georgia typically finds employment as field laborers, with employers offering no fringe benefits such as health insurance and paid sick leave.  Therefore, the increasing Hispanic population is creating a greater need for affordable health care and social services.  The lack of health insurance among the Hispanic population negatively impacts the local economy by causing medical care costs and health insurance premiums to increase.

·     It is commonly recognized locally that census estimates for the Hispanic/Latino population
      throughout Southwest Georgia are grossly underestimated.  The underestimation potentially results
      in a loss of political representation, loss of grant funding, under funding of public services, and a
      loss of any public resources based on population data.

Long-Range Agency Goals

·     Increase public awareness of Agency and services Agency provides

·     Expand Head Start services and refine service delivery:

        ·   serve more children ages 0-3 through Early Head Start         

        ·   expand hours of service to include non-traditional morning and evening hours (extended day) at
     all CDCs

        ·   provide full year (including summer months) service at all CDCs

        ·   consolidate the number of CDCs in Dougherty County from eight (8) to no more than five (5)

        ·   develop the fatherhood/male involvement program to foster an increase in male involvement
     at the CDCs

        ·   assist all teachers in furthering their education so as to maintain a staff of teachers whereby at
     least 50% hold a minimum educational attainment of a Bachelor degree by 2013

        ·   obtain state licensing for all CDCs

·     Expand housing and energy services:

        ·   secure funding to provide more housing rehabilitation/preservation

        ·   secure funding to provide first-time homeowner/down payment/loan assistance

        ·   begin offering housing counseling services and educational housing services to assist low-       
     income families in becoming home owners and learning how to meet mortgage payments and
     properly maintain a home

        ·   expand existing partnership with Southwest Georgia Bank and develop/expand partnerships
     with other lending institutions to bring more affordable housing opportunities to the service area

·     Investigate and pursue opportunities to acquire/renovate/build and rent, sell, or manage quality low-income housing

·     Enhance the NSC focus on active family case management:

        ·   provide certified case manager training and periodic follow-up training for all NSC Community
     Services Managers

        ·   provide intensive case management services, assisting a greater number of clients who are in
     crisis or unstable situations towards self-sufficiency

·     Become more active in employment and training initiatives

·     Upgrade facilities:

        ·   complete renovations on newly acquired corporate office to accommodate Agency growth and
     expansion

        ·   renovate existing facilities or secure new facilities for NSC locations in need of major
     structural repairs

        ·   renovate existing facilities or secure new facilities for CDC locations in need of major
     structural repairs

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