photo by: Ashley Hocking

The Lied Center of Kansas is pictured in this 2018 file photo.

Douglas County residents are invited to a collaborative workshop to explore ways to better support low-income and single-parent families.

The workshop will allow participants to review data and stories collected through Douglas County Thrives, a community effort that gathered perspectives from low-income and single-parent or single caregiver families to inform local policy and practice. The data was collected in the fall through a survey. The event will be held from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 15, at the Lied Center Pavilion, 1600 Stewart Drive.

The workshop is a part of the Douglas County Economic Mobility Project – which is a part of the anti-poverty work area outlined in the Community Health Improvement Plan. The agencies working in this area include Douglas County, United Way of Kaw Valley, LiveWell Douglas County, K-State Extension Douglas County, DCCCA, Community Children’s Center and Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health.

The facilitators of the event are from the University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships and Research, and they will lead small-group discussions about survey results and family experiences. The stories will highlight both what it means to thrive and what it feels like to simply get by.

Single-parent families – especially female-headed households – are more likely to face poverty, rent burdens and challenges in finding jobs in Douglas County, as the Journal-World reported. The release said out of the 93 respondents to the survey, 40% identified as single parents. When asked what support made a difference for their family in the last year, 45% replied SNAP/food assistance, 44% cited food banks and 24% indicated utility assistance.

“Behind every statistic is a person, a family and a journey,” Jill Jolicoeur, assistant county administrator and a convener of the anti-poverty work group, said in the release. “That journey includes moments of hardship, but also of deep joy, resilience, creativity and strength. Whether a story is about a time families were thriving or just surviving, we want to know so leaders, policymakers and community members can better understand how to support families in Douglas County.”

There will be light refreshments available at the workshop. People can register for the event by emailing Jolicoeur at jjolicoeur@dgcoks.gov by Thursday.