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PART V -- SURVEY OF LOW INCOME RESIDENTS.

Highlights of Preliminary Descriptive Data Analysis
April 18, 2000

A. Survey Population/Sample

Northeast Kingdom Community Action (NEKCA) provided a list of 747 individuals classified as within 125% of the federal poverty level which comprised the sampling frame for this needs assessment of low-income Northeast Kingdom residents. On February 27, 2000, all individuals were mailed a cover letter, an initial survey instrument (questionnaire), and a self-addressed stamped envelope to return the questionnaire. Forty-nine questionnaires were returned from the initial mailing because of a lack of forwarding address, insufficient address, resident unknown, or resident deceased. Addresses were obtained for eight of the forty-nine returns and a new survey was mailed to each of the eight; four of these were subsequently returned as undeliverable. Approximately 10 days after the initial mailing, each non-respondent to the initial questionnaire was sent a postcard reminder, requesting that they fill out the survey and return it to Lyndon State College. On March 16th, a second survey instrument was sent to all non-respondents; a third survey was sent approximately two weeks later

The results presented in these highlights reflect descriptive analysis of the 312 respondents (48% of the deliverable sample) who responded after three mailing of the survey instrument. This sample is representative at the 95% confidence level, ±5% error. Readers should be cautioned about drawing conclusions from the data until a sample of non-respondents is taken to check for non-response bias.

B. Preliminary Highlights:

• Jobs. There was overwhelming support for access to more jobs, more on the job training opportunities, and more adult vocational opportunities. Many are unwilling to move to find a job due to connectedness to family and the region.
  
• Day Care. More affordable day care is needed, as well as after school programs.
  
• Housing. There is an overwhelming interest in rental housing that is more affordable, and in assistance to help the elderly remain in their homes.
  
• Prescription Drugs and Health Care. Assistance with prescription drugs was cited as a need by almost all respondents. There is also a strong need for transportation to health care, pregnancy prevention services, services for the disabled, and dental services.
  
• Computers. Computer access and telecommunications was a strong interest of 80% of respondents.
  
• Recreation and Conservation. Organized recreation for youth and the general public was a strong interest. The respondents report that they fish and hunt far more than the general population. About three-fourths of the sample believed that development along lakes and ponds, lack of public access to water bodies, and loss of Vermont's scenic landscape are problems in the Kingdom.
  
• Satisfaction with Services. Banking (79.5%), churches (71.8%), libraries (74.3%), and restaurants (70.2%) provided the most satisfactory services. Respondents were more dissatisfied than satisfied with youth employment opportunities, adult employment, health care costs, homeless family services, and elder care.
  
• Car and Phone. Only 74.7% of the respondents report having reliable transportation; 78.2% have a telephone, substantially less than the 98% subscriber rate in the state as a whole.
  
• Influence over Community. Roughly half of the respondents believe they have a little to moderate influence over their community, with only 8.3% feeling they have a high degree of influence. The rest thought they had no influence or didn't know. Almost half were satisfied or somewhat satisfied with their community, and 37.5% said they "fit" into their community "well" or somewhat well.
  
• Livable Wage. Respondents indicated that they considered a living wage for themselves and their family to be an average of $10.03 per hour.

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