Struggling to Make Ends Meet

Today, the Northwest Area Foundation released the findings from a national survey of 4,000 adults called "Struggling to Make Ends Meet." The findings are easily accessed using an interactive tool. Findings from Washington State include:

• 31% of respondents reported that they or a family member lost a job in the last 12 months.
• 35% had their hours (or those of a family member) cut at work in the last 12 months.
• 61% report cutting back on spending as a result of the recession.

Other topics include awareness of available services, ability to pay for basic needs, the scope of and explanations for hardship in local communities, and views about elected officials.