California poverty by county - avg of 2015-2017 data PDF

Contra Costa Poverty rate:   14.3% (+/- 1.3)
Number of people in poverty:   161,200 (+/- 14,800)
Child poverty rate:    16.1% (+/- 2.3)
Poverty (CPM) threshold, family of 4 that rents:   $34,034

One in three working Californians has a low-wage job. *

Across Contra Costa County, Black adults were more than 3 times more likely to be arrested than adults from any other racial/ethnic group, and Black youth were more than 7 times more likely to be arrested than youth from any other racial/ethnic group. *

Over a third of children living below the self-sufficiency standard are not ready for school. *

About one in five of all children ages 5 and younger in California live in poverty, and nearly half of California’s children live in households that are at or near the poverty level. *

The majority of households making $25,000 or less spend more than half their income on housing and 64% of them have seniors, children or both. *

Almost 176,000 people are living below self-sufficiency in Contra Costa, which is more than the population of Concord — one of our largest cities.

90% of people who receive welfare are working; if they aren’t working, they are either elderly or severely disabled (Center for Budget & Policy Priorities). ​Any little thing —a child getting sick, a health emergency, a car breaking down—can be catastrophic for these working families, sending them reeling into crisis
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The California Poverty Measure finds 19.5% (about 7.5 million) people living in poverty.  In our affluent county, 15.5% of residents are unable to cover their basic needs

Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition advocates for healthcare for all, including support of Contra Costa Cares for the remaining uninsured in our communities.

Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition supported Prop 1 & 2 to increase affordable housing in California.

Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition prevented any cuts to SNAP in the 2018 Federal Farm Bill.

Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition won approval for SSI recipients to qualify for CalFresh nutrition assistance, beginning in summer 2019.

Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition worked to increase CalWORKs grants to fight childhood deep poverty by ensuring no family lives below 50% of the poverty line.

Multi-Faith Action Coalition helped with AB 1008 - Ban the Box, which removes barriers to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Multi-Faith Action Coalition has helped implement SB 54 - California Values Act. This prohibits local funds for assisting federal immigration authorities.