Blue Valley Community Action Partnership serves the families and communities of southeast Nebraska and north central Kansas. With over 30 programs and services, we help a diverse population obtain assistance to move from poverty to independence.

The following data provides a snapshot of key services we provided during our most recent reporting fiscal year (FY 2002). Thus, unless otherwise noted, all date is for the period October 1, 2001 to September 30, 2002. For information on a particular program, please see Programs and Services.

You may also wish to visit our Service Area and County Profiles sections for additional information on the Blue Valley Partnership service area. Here you can view maps, access census data, and see a short community inventory. You can also find the location of the nearest BVCA Partnership office.

If you need additional information on Those We Serve, please email us or phone our home office at 402.729.2278.

From prenatal care to senior citizens, Blue Valley Community Action Partnership served 12,979 individuals during fiscal year 2002. Almost half (48.2%) were below 80 percent of the poverty level. Those served were almost evenly divided between female (57%) and male (43%). Ethnically, the majority of those served (84.6%) were Caucasian. Hispanics comprised 11 percent of the service population followed by multiracial (1.9%), Native American (1.1%), African American (0.7%), and Asian (0.4%).

The average family size was 2.6 persons. A quarter of those served (25.3%) were married. Over half (51.7%) had never wed, though 5.7 percent lived together. Nearly eight percent (7.7%) were widowed. Almost half (47.1%) had never been a parent. Twenty-two percent of families were two-parent households with children. Over eight percent (8.4%) were single parents with children and 2.8 percent were about to become a parent. Two adults with no children present accounted for 18.4 percent of those served.

Almost half of those served were children (22.9% preschool; 23.1% K-12 students). Of adults, only 4.7 percent were college graduates, while 27 percent had a high school diploma or GED. Nearly 15 percent (14.9%) had not graduated high school.

As for medical insurance, 25.8 percent had no coverage. Of those reporting health insurance, 28.3 percent were on Kids Connection, 22.4 percent had private coverage, 15 percent relied on Medicaid, and 8.4 percent were covered by Medicare. Native American health insurance covered only 0.1 percent of those served.

It is important to note there is great resistance to raising the poverty levels most federal and state programs use to determine income eligibility. While routinely adjusting the poverty line to reflect changes in the economy makes sense to many, to do so could increase the number of individuals designated as "poor." Since any net increase would be unpopular, many programs instead increase their income eligibility to be a percent of poverty. For example, both Nebraska and Kansas offer state children's health insurance programs. Kids Connection (Nebraska) allows families to earn up to 185 percent of poverty, while Kansas families can earn up to 200 percent of poverty. Another example is housing subsidies that are often tied to 80 percent of median income for a particular county.

In fiscal year 2002, 48.2 percent of those served by Blue Valley Partnership fell below 80 percent of poverty. Over a quarter (26.9%) earned between 80 and 125 percent of poverty, while 11.4 percent earned between 125 and 185 percent. Only 3.8 percent reported incomes above 185 percent of poverty.

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