Community Needs Assessment: Listening, Learning, Leading
In 2022 United Way of Central Kansas (UWCK) conducted a Community Needs Assessment for Barton and Pawnee Counties. This vital survey, made possible by the generous support of The University of Kansas Health System and the Walmart Community Foundation, helped us better understand the challenges our neighbors face — and how together, we can create solutions that matter.
Key Findings
✅ Basic Needs & Self-Sufficiency
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48% of participants reported some level of need or concern in paying for vehicle costs, mortgage, rent, or utilities.
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46% noted concerns about securing enough food, clothing, or shelter for themselves or their families.
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Among households with children under 18, 34% expressed concern about affording childcare or after-school care.
✅ Community Health
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Over 50% of respondents shared concerns about access to fitness venues (57%), health insurance (56%), obesity (53%), physical activity programs (53%), and access to healthy food (50%).
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Lower-income households reported higher concern around health insurance, basic medical care, healthy food, transportation, and mental health services.
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Health ranked as the top priority for 42% of respondents, and second most important for 40%.
✅ Education
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54% of families with children under 18 highlighted a need for youth development and character-building programs.
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46% saw a need for mentoring programs for youth.
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Among all respondents, 52% saw a need for better workforce preparation for young people, and 40% saw a need for adult learning opportunities such as tuition reimbursement or skills training.
United for ALICE: The Story Behind the Numbers
We often hear about families living in poverty — but there’s a large group of hardworking families who are also struggling, though they earn too much to qualify for assistance. We call them ALICE:
Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
In 2023, while 12% of Kansas households lived below the Federal Poverty Level, another 26% fell into this ALICE category — earning above poverty, but not enough to meet basic needs. Combined, that means 38% of Kansas households were living below the ALICE Threshold.
In Barton and Pawnee Counties, that figure is even higher: 45%. That’s nearly half of our neighbors living paycheck-to-paycheck, juggling impossible choices like whether to pay for food or fill a prescription, fix a car or keep the lights on.
ALICE households include the people who keep our community running — childcare providers, food service workers, delivery drivers, caregivers, cashiers, and so many more. Their stories reflect resilience and determination, but also the urgent need for systemic change.
👉 Learn more about ALICE and how you can help here.