This past spring, Groundwork launched the second phase of tabling for the community outreach campaign. The goals of the community outreach campaign were to meet the community where they are, listen to the community concerns about housing, and provide information about steps Groundwork is taking to combat raising house costs.
The Groundwork team completed nearly 90 hours of tabling at 14 different events ranging from Fayetteville to Siloam Springs to Bella Vista. With almost 3,000 community interactions with members of the Northwest Arkansas community, Groundwork was able to spark hope through individual engagement by providing resources and education regarding the work Groundwork does in solving the housing crisis in Northwest Arkansas.
In order to better understand the needs and wants of the NW Arkansas population, Groundwork continued to informally survey members of the community throughout the spring tabling season. After continuing to collect raw data from real community members, there is a true need for change. Of surveyed respondents:
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42% pay more than 30% of their income on housing
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36% have more than a 20-minute commute to work
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88% stated the housing affordability and availability is a top concern in Northwest Arkansas.
Common stories and shared experiences were prominent within the survey responses. One community member stated, "Every year my rent fees goes up and my monthly income stay the same." Another said, "I'm a full-time teacher in a large district in NWA with 10 years of experience and a master's degree. I can't afford a mortgage.”
These shared experiences show the toll and fear put on community members due to the rising cost of living in Northwest Arkansas. These teachers, firefighters, and nurses sharing their stories make up a large portion of the workforce. What will happen if these key members in taking care of the community cannot afford to live here?
Moving forward, Groundwork will continue to strive to mend the gap in housing throughout NW Arkansas. There are many solutions and opportunities for positive growth as NW Arkansas continues to grow. The first step remains to educate community members to instill the need for immediate action and active participation in each community's future.
Groundwork will launch the third phase of the community outreach initiative in the fall of 2024, continuing to meet community members where they are.
Spring 2024 List of Events
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Rogers Local Food Market
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Fayetteville Farmers Market
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Bella Vista Farmers Market
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Fayetteville First Thursday
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Cinco de Mayo Festival
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Centerton Farmers Market
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Strawberry Festival
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Bentonville Farmers Market
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Tontitown Farmers Market
This data collected was from a survey that was provided via QR codes and available on the Groundwork website. Volunteers completing this survey were entered to win a monthly drawing for a $100 gift card.
Written by Samantha Kascoutas