In the Twin Counties, we know that a strong community starts with the basics. We need safe places to live and good ways to get where we need to go. These aren’t extras; they are the foundation of a healthy, working community.
That’s why Reliable Transportation and Humane Housing are two of the Vital Conditions for Health & Well-Being that we are reviewing in this series on the possible impact of federal funding cuts on our region. When people have safe homes and can get to work, school or the hospital, the whole community does better. But in our area, many people face real challenges.
Poverty rates in our region are well above both the state and national averages. In Galax, nearly one in four residents live below the poverty line, followed by 18.0% in Grayson County and 16.2% in Carroll County, compared to just 10.2% across Virginia and 12.5% nationwide. These numbers reflect the real, everyday challenges our neighbors face.
Federal funding helps pay for repairs to homes for seniors and families, public transportation and ride services, safe roads and sidewalks, and programs that help people find and keep housing. But when that funding is cut, the cracks spread quickly. People can’t get to work. Kids miss school. Families live in homes that aren’t safe. And the people who already have the least are the ones who suffer the most.
And our population is aging. In Galax, 18% of seniors live in poverty, and the median age is 42, which is higher than the state average of 39 years old. More and more of our neighbors are older adults who need safe, affordable homes and dependable ways to get to medical appointments, the grocery store, or community events.
District Three Government Cooperative is our local Area Agency on Aging. They provide older adults and people with disabilities with a lot of services, including transportation and housing assistance. But District Three relies on federal funding to keep its buses running and its services affordable. Because of funding cuts, they have already had to scale back programs, and more cuts may be on the way. For example, Senior Medical Transportation, which provides transportation to medical appointments across the entire state, is already on hold; the Emergency Financial Assistance Program, which provides funding to help with electric bills, water bills and other household essentials, has been cut by 70% per person; and the Ramp Assistance Program, which provides funding to help build ramps for those who need help to get into their home is completely on hold now.
Humane Housing means that everyone has a safe, stable place to call home. In Carroll, Grayson, and Galax, federal funding helps make that possible. Programs like HUD rental assistance and USDA rural housing grants help families afford rent or repair old homes.
But the truth is, even now, the need is greater than the supply. There’s already a wait for help, and with federal funding cuts, the gap will only grow. When people lose their homes, the strain doesn’t stop at their front door; it spreads through the whole community. Shelters will fill. Families may double up in unsafe conditions. Children may have to change schools. And emergency services, like EMS and hospitals, will see more people in crisis.
The Twin Counties Rural Health Network’s more than 40 local organizations are working hard to continue to improve these vital conditions in our community. But we can’t do it alone. And we can’t do it without financial support. It’s been reported that the General Assembly may go into a special session to consider how to respond to federal funding cuts. We need our General Assembly members to help us maintain access to safe housing and reliable transportation for our neighbors. Our needs are real. Our community matters. And we deserve the same support as everyone else across Virginia.
The authors:
Sandy Bryant, Mount Rogers Community Services
Meagan Helmick, Mount Rogers Health District
Melissa Munton, Ohlen R. Wilson Health Center
Terri Gillespie, Rooftop of Virginia
James Werth, Jr., Tri-Area Community Health
