A Data Walk is a community event aimed to bring together community members, government officials, and nonprofit organization leaders from the Statesboro/Bulloch County area to discuss pressing issues and find ways to solve them.
Last week's data walk was held Thursday, April 25, 2024 from 6-8pm at Luetta Moore Park, and there is another opportunity to attend on Saturday, May 4, 2024 from 12pm to 2pm at the Boys and Girls Club in Statesboro.
These events are being organized by United Way of Southeast Georgia, Georgia Southern University Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies, and Georgia Southern University Institute for Vibrant and Engaged Communities. United Way is using the results of the data walk to determine where to fund ten $1,500 mini grants in the community.
Hearing local voices: Community members share their insights
Upon arriving, participants were prompted to write their names on a name tag and answer a question regarding community involvement. From there, they were encouraged to grab a bite to eat and mingle with other attendees. Uncle Shug’s was served, and everyone had the opportunity to glance over the posters and speak with community members before the event began. The atmosphere was exciting, and everyone seemed eager to share and learn.
After everyone finished eating, Dr. Tina Patterson of Georgia Southern University's Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies, spoke to the group about ALICE Data. ALICE is a platform created by United Way. ALICE stands for Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed.
This is when the community data exploration began:
After the synopsis of ALICE, I had the opportunity to rotate through 5 stations. Each station had informative data on a topic such as adult literacy, health, affordable child care, affordable housing, and income. I spent several minutes at each station, discussing with community members how the topic directly impacts each of us.
I was shocked to learn some of the numbers for the community, but I also learned that I’m not the only member in the community facing challenges. The stations concluded with us discussing ways we could improve on the issue. I loved being able to hear ideas from different people on solutions. Since we are all facing the issues, it was insightful to hear how others face the challenge.
One community member, Felicia Washington, who attended the Data Walk, shared her thoughts on the data presented. She said, “I kept coming back to the fact that when you can barely afford to survive, it impacts every other area of your life. You can’t afford healthcare, childcare, or housing. It’s a never ending cycle.”
The ALICE data for Bulloch County revealed that a single adult needs a minimum hourly wage of $13.44 to pay their bills and survive, while a family of four (two adults and two children in childcare) needs a minimum of $73,944, or $36.97 hourly wage, which left many community members stunned.
When community members were asked how to improve the challenges, the topic of Village Builders stood out to me. (You can learn more about the City of Statesboro's Village Builders initiative here.) As a member of the community, this is all our village. We have to take care of it, and we need every member of the community to start showing up. These are shared problems as members of this community.
There was also discussion around creating more programming for the community. This could involve more literacy programs, mentoring, or more accessible childcare. Creating new initiatives such as mentoring and literacy programs was a common theme among the members of the community who were present.
Your voice needs to be heard. United Way has dedicated a portion of their funding to go toward issues from the data walk priorities. As a member of the community, the time is now to have your voice heard. United Way is committed to allocating 10 mini grants worth $1,500 each this year. These grants will be tailored directly to the concerns from this event.
Building a stronger community together: Join us at the next data walk event!
The Data Walk event was a huge success, with many community members gathering together to discuss vital issues and figuring out ways to solve them. I truly enjoyed the opportunity to voice my concerns as well as listen to others share.
If you missed this event, don’t worry there will be more to come. The next Data Walk will be held Saturday May 4th at the Boys and Girl Club from 12pm-2pm. Be sure to click the link to register. As a member of the community, your voice is the key in addressing issues and concerns of the community.
The importance of community engagement and collaboration cannot be overemphasized. By working together and actively participating in community events like the data walk, we can create positive change and make a difference. Let’s continue to support and uplift each other. Every day is a new opportunity to make Bulloch County brighter and better for all.