In times of crisis, social service agencies can help poor individuals and families meet basic needs for food, shelter and clothing. In this section, we highlight one such initiative, The Emergency Services and Family Stabilization Network (known locally as The Network) in Rochester, New York. A consortium of local social service providers developed this innovative network to ensure the effective use of emergency resources and to move beyond crisis intervention to promote greater economic independence among clients.

Poverty

• In 2005, 30 percent of the population in Rochester had incomes below the poverty threshold. This rate is substantially higher than that of the county (12.6 percent) and state (13.8 percent).

• The maps below detail the concentration of poverty by Census tract in Monroe County (Figure 1) and Rochester (Figure 2) in 2000.¹

• The 2005 median household income in Rochester was $26,650, substantially lower than the county median of $45,748 and the state median of $49,480.

• In 2005, the city’s unemployment rate was 9.3 percent, compared with 5.8 percent for the county and 7 percent for the state.

• Food stamp assistance cases in Monroe County increased from 26,200 in 1999 to 37,325 in 2005.²

The Emergency Services and Family Stabilization Network: A Social Services Initiative

• The Network was established in 1997 to provide emergency services and to help clients avoid future crises by encouraging greater economic independence. The Network membership represents communities throughout Rochester and includes The Salvation Army, Baden Street Settlement, Catholic Family Center, Charles Settlement House, Community Place of Greater Rochester, Ibero American Action League, SWAN (South West Area Neighborhood) and Monroe County Legal Assistance Corporation. Member organizations receive funding from the United Way of Greater Rochester and support from Foodlink, the regional food bank.

• In October 2005, a survey of 1087 clients found that 80 percent presented with an immediate need for food. The main contributing factors to client emergencies, as reported by the clients themselves, were job loss (21 percent) and benefit loss (38 percent).³

• In order to better regulate the provision of services, member organizations have established uniform procedures for addressing and documenting each client’s immediate need for food, clothing or shelter.

• Case workers meet with clients to identify an "action plan" for economic independence that includes access to all programs offered by Network members. This leverages network resources by providing each client with access to a greater spectrum of programs than any one member organization has the capacity to provide.

• In 2005, 23,265 households were served by The Network. Nearly three quarters of all households receiving basic provisions also engaged in the action plan process to identify steps that could prevent future financial crises. Of these, 57 percent improved their status by entering job training, becoming employed, gaining improved employment, finding subsidized housing or obtaining health insurance.⁴

Figure 1
Percentage of Monroe County Population in Poverty by Census Tract, 2000

Source: Census 2000, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration.

Figure 2
Percentage of Rochester Population in Poverty by Census Tract, 2000

Source: Census 2000, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration.

January 2006