Walworth County is known for its lakefront mansions, resorts and golf courses. But there’s a financial underbelly that’s less appealing.
A new way of measuring poverty puts Walworth County above the state average. Research that’s been commissioned by United Way indicates that 44% of Walworth County’s households lack the financial wherewithal to afford basic necessities. The state average is 42 percent.
Speaking on Community Matters recently, Walworth County Administrator Dave Bretl indicated that he’s keenly aware of the problem, saying he fully supports a local United Way effort to help struggling families.
Bretl says government-funded programs can only do so much, and usually require families and individuals to hit virtual rock bottom before qualifying for help. "Once people have depleted all of their assets and are in that situation, it's very difficult for them to get out," he said.
Bretl says the United Way in Walworth County has been working to better support programs that are designed to pull low income households that are sliding toward financial crisis back from the brink. The agency is planning meetings to get public input on how to best use and target resources for the working poor.
In case you’re wondering how the other two counties in WGTD’s primary listening area fared in that new poverty study---Racine County came in a notch below the state average at 41% while Kenosha County had the third highest poverty rate in the state, at 50%.
The study was done two years ago.
To listen to the full Community Matters program that featured Bretl, click here.
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