| older
dependents caring for seniors
- Among San Mateo County survey participants under the age of
65, 7.8% have an older adult, such as a parent, aunt, or uncle, living with them because
they are unable to live alone (compared to 8% in Santa Clara County and 5.7% statewide).
Furthermore, among San Mateo County respondents aged 50 and older, 4.6% currently live in
the home of an adult child, grandchild, or other relative (compared to 8.1% in Santa Clara
County and 2.4% statewide). 298
- When survey respondents living with older dependents were
asked to evaluate adult day care services in the community, overall evaluations were
relatively low, with only 23.9% responding "excellent" or "very good"
and over 20% responding "fair" or "poor." "Fair/poor"
evaluations of adult day care services in both San Mateo County and Santa Clara County are
much higher than "fair/poor" evaluations found statewide.299
Senior health issues are addressed in the Senior Health section, page.
families in need
government assistance
Though San Mateo County is generally
considered a wealthy area, there is a portion of the population in need:
- Among survey participants (not including children), 11.5%
of respondents currently receive government assistance (though this is much lower than the
17% found throughout California). This includes 27.3% of those living below the 185%
poverty threshold reporting they receive government assistance. 300
Families in Hunger
The following findings pertain to families
in hunger:
- Nearly all San Mateo County survey participants (96.3%)
report that their families have enough food on a regular basis. However, 7.1% of those
living below the 185% poverty threshold, and 5% of those aged 18 to 39 report they do not
have enough food to feed their families on a regular basis.301
- A total of 2% of San Mateo County survey respondents have
gone to a local food bank or received free meals provided by local organizations in the
past year. This compares to 5.7% of adults throughout California. Use of food banks and
receipt of free meals is highest among the low-income (8.7%). 302
subsidized school
lunches
- As of October 1997, 29% of public school students in San
Mateo County were receiving free or reduced-priced meals. This includes 36% of students in
elementary school districts, 11% of students in high school districts, and 27% of students
in unified districts. 303
- Note in the following chart that over one-half of students
in Ravenswood (89%), Bayshore (65%), Jefferson (58%), and Redwood City (55%) elementary
schools received subsidized meals. In additions, 43% of students in the La Honda-Pescadero
Unified school district received subsidized meals. 304
AFDC and Free/Reduced Meals Summary by Individual Districts —
Grades K-12 |
| |
Number in
Public Schools |
Number in
Public Schools |
Students Receiving AFDC
October 1996
|
Students Receiving AFDC
October 1997
|
Students
Receiving Free/Reduced Meals
October 1996 |
Students
Receiving Free/Reduced Meals
October 1997 |
| School
Districts |
1996 |
1997 |
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
# |
% |
| Ravenswood Elem. Bayshore Elementary
Jefferson Elementary
Redwood City Elem.
San Bruno Elementary
San Mateo City Elem.
Millbrae Elementary
Brisbane Elementary
Burlingame Elementary
Las Lomitas Elementary
Woodside Elementary
Menlo Park City Elem.
Belmont Elementary.
Portola Valley Elem. |
5,027 |
5,248 |
1,193 |
24% |
911 |
17% |
4,465 |
89% |
4,672 |
89% |
443 |
462 |
74 |
17% |
42 |
9% |
289 |
65% |
298 |
65% |
8,075 |
7,962 |
704 |
9% |
557 |
7% |
4,566 |
57% |
4,640 |
58% |
9,096 |
9,162 |
949 |
10% |
724 |
8% |
4,549 |
50% |
5,053 |
55% |
2,829 |
2,844 |
142 |
5% |
103 |
4% |
773 |
27% |
728 |
26% |
10,691 |
10,764 |
427 |
4% |
338 |
3% |
2,786 |
26% |
2,567 |
24% |
2,333 |
2,361 |
113 |
5% |
105 |
4% |
470 |
20% |
427 |
18% |
614 |
648 |
31 |
5% |
29 |
4% |
122 |
20% |
111 |
17% |
2,384 |
2,389 |
40 |
2% |
34 |
1% |
148 |
6% |
125 |
5% |
967 |
986 |
1 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
50 |
5% |
46 |
5% |
458 |
479 |
0 |
0% |
4 |
1% |
0 |
0% |
24 |
5% |
1,971 |
1,960 |
21 |
1% |
12 |
1% |
92 |
5% |
76 |
4% |
2,321 |
2,389 |
47 |
2% |
38 |
2% |
69 |
3% |
82 |
3% |
650 |
693 |
2 |
0% |
4 |
1% |
0 |
0% |
7 |
1% |
| San Carlos
Elementary Hillsborough Elem. |
2,537 |
2,509 |
45 |
2% |
34 |
1% |
34 |
1% |
28 |
1% |
1,312 |
1,332 |
3 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
| Total
Elementary |
51,708 |
52,188 |
3,792 |
7% |
2,935 |
6% |
18,413 |
36% |
18,884 |
36% |
| La Honda-Pescadero
U. S. San Fran. Unified
Cabrillo Unified
Laguna Salada Unified |
469 |
484 |
14 |
3% |
8 |
2% |
202 |
43% |
210 |
43% |
10,242 |
10,179 |
562 |
5% |
685 |
7% |
3,149 |
31% |
3,293 |
32% |
3,830 |
3,889 |
37 |
1% |
42 |
1% |
750 |
20% |
787 |
20% |
3,972 |
3,913 |
201 |
5% |
137 |
4% |
787 |
20% |
724 |
19% |
| Total Unified |
18,513 |
18,465 |
814 |
4% |
872 |
5% |
4,888 |
26% |
5,014 |
27% |
| Jefferson Union High Sequoia Union High
San Mateo Union |
5,334 |
5,448 |
215 |
4% |
168 |
3% |
912 |
17% |
885 |
16% |
7,055 |
7,147 |
561 |
8% |
433 |
6% |
731 |
10% |
947 |
13% |
8,243 |
8,393 |
205 |
2% |
171 |
2% |
470 |
6% |
401 |
5% |
| Total
High School |
20,632 |
20.988 |
981 |
5% |
772 |
4% |
2,113 |
10% |
2,233 |
11% |
| TOTAL |
90,853 |
91,641 |
5,587 |
6% |
4,579 |
5% |
25,414 |
28% |
26,131 |
29% |
AFDC/TANF
- As of July 1998, there were 2,657 total AFDC/TANF (Aid to
Families with Dependent Children/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) cases in San
Mateo County, a 63% reduction from the high point of 7,160 cases recorded in December
1994. 305
social services
- A total of 21.5% of San Mateo County residents rate the
ease with which they are able to get social services in their community as
"fair" or "poor." This percentage increases to 31.2% among low-income
individuals and 32.8% among African-Americans.306
298 1998 San Mateo County
Quality of Life Survey. Healthy Community Collaborative of San Mateo County. September
1998.
299 Ibid.
300 1998 San Mateo County Quality of Life Survey. Healthy
Community Collaborative of San Mateo County. September 1998.
301 Ibid.
302 Ibid.
303 CBEDS – School Level AFDC/Free & Reduced Meals Report
Summary. San Mateo County Office of Education, Management Services. March 2, 1998.
304 Ibid.
305 CDS 609 Management Case Report (San Mateo County).
306 1998 San Mateo County Quality of Life Survey. Healthy
Community Collaborative of San Mateo County. September 1998. |