It’s no secret that many people have faced financial struggles over the last few years amid rising costs for simple necessities: groceries, utilities and rent, to name just a few.
In March of this year alone, evictions in Seminole County rose by 101%, and foreclosures by 156% from the year prior, according to the Sharing Center, a nonprofit agency with a mission to help families and individual experiencing poverty and homelessness.
Margaux Pagán, the senior director of strategic engagement with the Sharing Center, said the COVID-19 pandemic was merely the straw that broke the camel’s back in the downfall of the local economy. Since last year, the agency has seen a 40% increase in families seeking financial assistance.
“Many people have gotten back their jobs or have had different job opportunities,” she said. “However, the pace at which everything is increasing is impossible for families to keep up with. The stimulus checks and other forms of public assistance are gone.”
According to the Heart of Florida United Way’s Household Survival Budget, released in 2022, the average monthly cost for a family of four for rent, childcare, groceries and other expenses adds up to about $94,000 for the year. For a single adult, that number is more than $35,000.
With that, an individual needs to earn about $40,000 to survive, and the income for a family of four needs to be about $100,000.
“Obviously, that’s not the case for everyone,” Pagán said. “Just image having to make the decision on whether or not you’re going to work and pay childcare or not work at all so that you don’t have to pay childcare. Those are the decisions that families are having to make. People are having to make these really critical decisions like: ‘Do I keep my lights on, or do we have food in the refrigerator?’”
She said the pandemic really hyper focused the fact that there are more people than we assume who are one paycheck away from homelessness.
“For many, the pandemic was that thing (that pushed people over the edge), but for even more individuals now, it’s the impacts of all these different things that have precipitated all of this happening. Now, we’re all here, and we’re all trying to figure out the best way we can (to survive). We’re not driving our cars as much (or) we’re not taking trips. Everyone is being impacted in some way, shape or form.”
Pagán said financial responsibility has historically been taught with the general rule that about 30% of a person’s income should be designated for housing. However, even Central Florida families who are “doing it right” are spending about 50% of their income on housing.
“Just imagine: You’re in the same job that you’ve been in for years and years, but the pace at which everything around you is increasing (and) is just completely diminishing your savings account,” Pagán said. “There’s just nothing you can do about it.”
Pagán said in the 37 years the Sharing Center has provided assistance to Central Florida, they have never had to turn families away, but that is a reality they might soon be facing.
“Pre-COVID, we were giving out about $1,000 on average; now it’s more like $2,500, on average, so that is depleting our resources,” she said. “Since rent is increasing, the amount of assistance is also increasing. So, at this pace, we’re not able to keep up with it either.”
Pagán said they don’t want to have to deny help to qualified families, but that’s the biggest crisis they are seeing right now.
“We’re not able to keep up with it either,” she said. “We don’t want to have to turn families away. It’s really difficult to be in a position as an agency that has been rooted in our community for so long and then now asking ourselves: Are we going to have to turn people away? That’s the complete opposite of our mission.
Pagán said the Sharing Center has been able to fulfill their mission for nearly 40 years through grants from the county and private organizations, but much of what the agency receives comes from individuals in the community.
She said the Sharing Center’s With You We Can initiative aims to reach more of those individuals in the community who can help the agency to continue helping struggling families navigate out of these difficult times and back into stability.
“That’s what really prompted us to put a call out to the community: We really need you now,” she said.
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