DEMOGRAPHICS

Demographic Characteristics in Flint, Genesee County and the United States

From the carriage industry to General Motors and the United Auto Workers, Flint has played an important role in the history and industrialization of the United States. At the same time, it is experiencing some of the same urban trends and challenges as many other post-industrial communities. However, time and time again, the citizens and stakeholders in Flint and Genesee County have demonstrated their resiliency and commitment to the region.

The BEST Project is one example of how local funders, regional technical assistance providers and Genesee County agencies have come together to ensure that local nonprofits can meet the needs of the community. Agencies participating in the BEST Project have been seriously affected by current economic and political circumstances. The BEST Project has been able to provide consulting assistance to help agencies continue to provide services during this tumultuous period.

Genesee County nonprofits provide a broad range of services to meet the needs of the area’s most vulnerable and at-risk populations including job seekers; the homeless; youth and families struggling to overcome poverty; the elderly; and addicts searching for effective treatment services. Data from a variety of regional and national sources demonstrates the breadth and depth of the social problems impacting the residents in the region.

The population of Genesee County is 436,141 with 169,825 households and 115,956 families. Research conducted by the Williams Group on behalf of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint indicates that the citizens of Genesee County, and Flint in particular, suffer disproportionately compared to other regions in the United States. For example, the median household income in Flint is nearly $16,000 below the national average. At the same time, the total population poverty rates in Flint, as well as the poverty rates for families and children under 18, are more than double the national average (See the table on the following page.) In addition, Social Systems Research Institute research shows that poverty has grown 62% in Flint since 1960.

*Statistics are based on 2005 U.S. Census Data. Percentages reflect the Census calculations and may be the result of rounding percentages. For more information visit the U.S. Census Bureau: American FactFinder at http://factfinder.census.gov

In January 2005, Genesee County’s unemployment rate was 9.4% as compared to Michigan’s average of 7.3%. As noted in the Michigan Kids Count 2004 report, 18.4% of children ages 0-7 live in poverty. Over 40% of K-12 students are eligible for free and reduced priced meals in the county; in Flint more than 90% of the 20,654 students meet eligibility requirements for free lunch.

Genesee County ranks third in Michigan in infant mortality rates, with 11.6 deaths per every 1,000 infants. Nearly 12,000 individual child abuse and neglect reports were investigated in 2003. In Flint, 52% of grandparents serve as parents. Prospects for the future are bleak: Flint and Genesee County anticipate losing 1200- 1500 manufacturing jobs in the next year.

Flint	Genesee County	United States
39% Anglo American 55% African American 5% Multiracial /other 2% Latino (any race)	76% Anglo American 20% African American 4% Multiracial /other 2% Latino (any race)	75% Anglo American 12% African American 9% Multiracial /other 15% Latino (any race) 4% Asian American
Income
Median HH Income: $25,972 Median Family Income: $33,151	Median HH Income: $42,473 Median Family Income: $54,321	Median HH Income: $41,994 Median Family Income: $50,046
Living In Poverty
33% of population 28% of families 52% of families with a single female householder 45% of those under age 18 16% of those 65+	29% of population 12% of families 46% of families with a single female householder 20% of those under age 18 4% of those 65+	13% of population 10% of families 29% of families with a single female householder 19% of those under age 18 10% of those 65+

Start Up Process Evaluation Resources Bibliography Glossary Introduction Appendices Infrastructure Substance abuse and addiction are problems that impact people of all ages. According to the Genesee County Medical Examiner’s annual report for 1999, out of the top five natural causes of death, the fifth cause was due to substance abuse disorders. Drug overdose was the leading cause of deaths due to unintentional injury. The age adjusted death rate for drug-induced deaths in Genesee County is 8.5 per 100,000 (MDCH). Both the National Council on Alcohol and Addictions (NCAA) and Catholic Charities of Genesee and Shiawassee Counties, which provide a range of services to assist addicts and substance abuse prevention, are in the first BEST cohort.

Additionally, residents of Genesee County report concerns for their personal safety. In a 2003 Community Survey by PRC, only 34% of Flint respondents (n=809) felt “completely safe” walking around their own neighborhood during the day, and only 7% had the same level of security walking around after dark. This is in stark contrast to the 59% of county respondents (n=1819) who felt “completely safe” during the day and 28% (1771) who felt secure in their neighborhoods after dark (both city and county statistics fall below the out of county data).

There are 1,015 registered 501(c)(3) organizations in Genesee County, many of which house, clothe, and feed low-income families and children, the elderly, the homeless, and other vulnerable populations. Additional data from the Urban Institute, National Center for Charitable Statistics indicates that 267 of these organizations produce total revenues of $1.1 billion for the region; an important driver in the struggling local economy.

One impetus for the BEST Project was compelling data from a two-part study conducted by the Harwood Institute in 1996 and 2001. Their report demonstrates the psychological impact of the current state of affairs. In 1996 Harwood described Genesee County as a community with a service delivery system that is extremely fragmented and fraught with turf battles, suggesting that local nonprofits have unusually low capacity to provide coordinated services or generate and support social capital. Research conducted in 2001 by Harwood showed the emergence of a few organizations that were acting as local centers of strength.

In 2002, the Flint Funders Collaborative commissioned additional research as part of the planning effort that resulted in the BEST Project. Data from surveys, focus groups and interviews were consistent with these earlier findings, but BEST used a different lens and approach, focusing more on community assets. The BEST Project has had a measurable impact and shows great promise, but there is room for improvement. BEST is constantly assessing program activities and adapting accordingly to meet the needs of the nonprofit community.

--Project Guide Table of Contents--

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