Community Action Agencies to Release Study of

Financial Behaviors Among Adults in Nebraska

Community Action of Nebraska and the nine Community Action Agencies in Nebraska released the results of its 2011 Community Assessment Focus Survey on March 13, 2012.

The Community Assessment Focus Survey Report is based on a random survey of residents across the entire state of Nebraska conducted in May of 2011.  The assessment survey asked questions covering several topics including: financial behaviors, financial services, resources and planning for the future.

The intent of the survey was to discover the financial challenges faced by Nebraskans, to deepen our understanding of financial decisions Nebraskans are making and assess their knowledge and general attitudes about money. Community Action Agencies in Nebraska will use the results to evaluate and revise their financial literacy and education in programs and services to better fit the needs of the community.

Key findings in the survey reveal the hard financial choices faced by many living in the state. Of those surveyed 85% feel emotionally stressed about money, 60% stated that they run out of money to pay for living expenses, and 61% worry about job security.

This focus survey report is intended to complement the more comprehensive State and Regional Community Assessment completed in 2010 (available at www.canhelp.org) and future documents being developed by Community Action of Nebraska.

Community Action Agencies (CAAs) are private, non-profit organizations dedicated to helping low-income people attain self-sufficiency in all 93 Nebraska counties. The agencies are established under federal law to combat the presence and impacts of poverty in communities across the US.  Programs commonly administered by CAA’s include employment assistance, home weatherization, Head Start and Early Head Start, food assistance, housing assistance and utility assistance.

For further information, contact Carrie Eurek, at ceurek@mnca.net or (308) 86-5675.