Napa County
Building Stronger Communities in Napa County
Our Commitment to Making a Difference
Welcome to our Napa County page. Here we highlight the critical needs, as well as the opportunities for creating positive change in the region. Napa County is known for its vineyards, scenic landscapes, and thriving tourism industry. However, behind this idyllic facade, many of our Napa residents still face challenges related to affordable housing, financial security, and access to basic needs.
We are committed to addressing these needs and supporting Napa County residents in their efforts to break the cycle of poverty. Through this page, we aim to provide you with valuable data and insights that shed light on the specific challenges faced by this region and how we are working together to create lasting change.
Meet Mario.
College can be a stressful time. Between the pressures of juggling school and life, money is often an obstacle to success that many students face. Mario knows the stress of this, firsthand. When he was attending Canada College, education expenses hit him directly in the form of books – they were expensive! But, while rummaging around the campus bookstore, one day, a flyer got his attention. It promised financial support for education.
Mario was skeptical, but he made the call to 211 and was able to connect with SparkPoint services. That phone call ended up being a key moment of clarity: taking advantage of the services available, allowed him to start developing healthy habits and ultimately gave him a greater understanding of how to manage financial expenses head-on.
“Honestly, this was the best decision I made because now I am more confident and aware of my financial behavior.”
Today, Mario is fulfilling a life goal by working with LifeMoves helping those in need while at the same time sitting on the board for EFSP (Emergency Food and Shelter Program), on UWBA Advisory Council member & the UWBA Ambassadors Council.
“[UWBA] helped me successfully complete my college education and earn an associate’s [degree] in Business Administration and Economics at Cañada College – debt free!”
The Need in Napa County
Access to basic needs is difficult for many
24% households in Napa County struggle to meet basic needs including paying for food and groceries, housing and utility bills; and keeping up with monthly car payments and other transportation costs.
The wealth gap is increasing
Among full time workers In Napa County, the income of low-wage workers decreased 10% between 2000 and 2019, while high-wage workers' income increased 13%
Housing is a cost burden for many residents
17,712 households in Napa County are housing burdened, spending more than 30% of household income on rent.
Our Impact in the Community
Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP)
(We allocate the funding distributed through this program via partner organizations, ensuring the eight Bay Area counties we serve continue to receive the appropriate level of federal resources so residents can access basic needs.)
As the pandemic continued affecting Napa County residents, the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) provided 78,913 meals
Free Tax Help
(Free tax preparation for anyone who needs it)
Free Tax Help has helped provide $2,664,226 in refunds back into the pockets of Napa County residents
SparkPoint
(Centers that provide one-stop access to a full range of services to move families towards financial prosperity.)
79% of SparkPoint clients served in one of our three Napa County centers who started with a financial crisis improved income, credit, debt, and/or savings after working with a Sparkpoint coach
Explore the Data
The Real Cost Measure
United Ways of California, in partnership with California’s 29 local United Ways, is proud to release How Much it Costs to Struggle: The Real Cost Measure in California 2023, a study on what it takes to make ends meet in California.
Unlike the official poverty measure which primarily accounts for the cost of food, the Real Cost Measure factors the costs of housing, food, health care, childcare, transportation and other basic needs to reveal what it really costs to live in California.
Explore our Real Cost Measure dashboard
211 Bay Area
(A free, vital service that connects callers with health and human services (food, shelter, childcare, legal services))
2-1-1 phone and text services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and are available in 150 languages through phone interpretation services and English and Spanish for text services.
Explore our 211 Dashboard
