CAN
Community Assistance Network
living wage
To learn more about how the living wage is computed and analyzed, please click here . . .
Fact:
Maryland workers must earn a minimum of $18.85 an hour to meet their basic housing expenses.
The Community Assistance Network (CAN) assists low-income residents in their struggle to meet the skyrocketing cost of living in Baltimore County. Southeast Baltimore County, for example, where CAN's main office is located, like many areas, has seen a significant reduction in the quantity of family sustaining production jobs as area factories are closed and good jobs exported overseas.
Every day more and more working families turn to CAN as they are unable to meet the daily necessities of transportation, daycare, food, and housing. The systematic reduction in the number of welfare recipients, coupled with a sluggish post 911 economic recovery, have hindered many families’ attempts at self-sufficiency.
2002 witnessed an enormous cost of living increase. In fact, the state has been identified as one of the most expensive housing markets in the U.S. In one recent study, it was estimated that Maryland workers must earn a minimum of $18.85 an hour to meet their basic housing expenses. Current federal minimum wage is $5.35.
To address the mounting economic shortfalls now being experienced by the County’s working poor, CAN offers emergency services such as food and energy assistance to prevent families from falling further into poverty. Housing counselors advise clients on programs to safeguard their homes, employment counselors help clients retain or upgrade their employment and training, and all staff provide crucial referrals to outside agencies.
