OVERLAYING DATA

The Conditions of Children Report presents indicators of well-being across a broad spectrum of distinct subject matter. Yet it is understood that none of the conditions measured in this report occur in isolation. In fact, multiple metrics of well-being that indicate success or challenges in communities across the county are interconnected and cannot be separated in the actual lives of children. Data presents a powerful tool for examining the facts of what is occurring in communities. By investigating the intersection of multiple data sets, a more complete picture emerges. This year, for the first time, the Conditions of Children report explores the intersection of data through an “overlay map.” This kind of exploration may raise further questions, and fall short of conclusive findings, but it can be used to identify situations in communities that merit further investigation.

The Intersection of Poverty and CalFresh Enrollment

The CalFresh Program, federally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), supplements a family's food budget. It helps to improve the health and well-being of eligible individuals and families by providing financial support to meet their nutritional needs. There is limited data available to understand where and to what extent families and children in Orange County could benefit from CalFresh but for any number of reasons, may not access CalFresh.

By overlaying CalFresh enrollment data with poverty data, the resulting map reveals communities where enrollment in this important nutritional program is lower than would be expected in an area with high poverty, indicating cities in the county where there may be gaps between need and services. Specifically, the overlay map shows potential gaps in the cities of Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, and La Palma. These three cities have below-median CalFresh child beneficiaries and fall within a hot spot for child poverty, suggesting a real need among children who are eligible for CalFresh but who are not benefiting from CalFresh.1 Further investigation may reveal barriers to enrollment for eligible children and families who are in need of these important benefits.

Alternatively, the map shows a high proportion of children in Garden Grove, Westminster, Buena Park, La Habra, and Santa Ana who are receiving CalFresh where child poverty is also high, suggesting that these cities are doing well in reaching kids in need.