Women Infant and Children Program

I decided to do my assessment on my community. I live in Marion, which is part of Marion County, South Carolina. The data at which the town history was review was difficult to determine. As the business grew so did the towns population, which expanded into 7,042 citizens. In 1730's when the white settlers began to move inland alone the rivers of Charles Town, building rough cabins and clearing land for farming and grazing close to the only easy means of transportation and navigable streams.

In 1798 Marion was horned with its name after a Revolutionary war hero mane General Francis Marion. The citizen takes pride in the hero by horning him by building a statue to solute his braver at war. The statue stands in the middle of the city square. To remain the citizen that there is a great history behind it name. In 1853 the court house of Marion was built, in which we still use today. In 1982 the Opera house brought theatrical and musical production for the residents. Literary societies encouraged the citizen to improve their minds.

In 1886 the Academy building was built opening its door to Marion County Museum, which brought about the Harvest of the Arts Festival celebrating the areas quality. Marion tales pride in the diversity of recreational opportunities available in and around the community.

Marion has a strong educational system. Marion School District 1 has an enrollment of almost 3,000 and student/teachers of a ratio of 18 to 1. Pee Dee Academy, a private school has and enrollment of more than 350 students/teachers ratio of 18 to 1. Marion support higher education that could lead to a 4 year degree from Florence-Darlington Tech., Horry-Georgetown Tech. Coastal Carolina University, Coker College and Francis Marion University. All are with in a 50 miles radius of Marion. (Taken from the Marion County website)

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Population

The Marion profile shows that there are 7.042 people living in the town according to the US Census Bureau. There are 3,057 males, 3,925 females. The population can also be divided by race. There are 2,263 whites, 4,663 African Americans, 10 American Indians and Alaska Natives, 28 Asians, 38 people of some other race and 50 people of two or more races.

There are 2,180 residents that are married with their spouse present and 441 residents that are married with the spouse absent. There are 555 widowed people and 463 people speak English and 212 people that speak Spanish. (SC community profile)

Household income

I also looked at the family income for the Marion area. There are 322 families that have an income of less than $10,000. 195 people have and income of $10,000 to $14,999. 297 people have and income of$15,000 to $24,999. 208 people have and income of $25,000 to $34,999. 289 people have and income of$35,000 to $49,999. 194 people have and income of $50,000 to $59,999. 194 people have an income of $60,000 to $74,999. 93 people have an income of$75,000 to $99,999. 50 people have an income of $200,000 or over. (SC community profiles)

Employment

I also looked at the labor forced in Marion of the 200 people in the labor force, 86.5 percent. (1729 people) were employed and 13.6 percent. (271 people) were employed of the 85.8 males in the labor force, 89.6 percent (769 people) were employed and 10.4 percent. (89people) were unemployed pf the 1142 females in the labor force. (41) percent (60 people) were employed a 15/9 percent (182 people were unemployed.

Statistics were also divided by race of the 798 people in the labor force; who are white,

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97.7 percent(789people) were employed and 23 percent.(18people) were employed of the 1185 people in the labor force who are African American, 78.6 percent(932people) were employed an 21.4 percent(253 people) were employed.(SC community profiles)

Education

There are 441 residents that have less than a 9th grade education. There are 848 people who have 9th to 12th grade education, but no degree. 1391 people are high school graduates, 713 people have some college time, but no degree. 174people have an associated degree. 517 people have bachelor's degree and 240 people have a graduate or profession degree. There are 187 children enrolled in preschool, 193 children kindergartner, 423 in grades 1 to 4. There are 493 in grade 5 to 8 and 488 children in grades 9 to 12.

There is 966 married couple household with children under the age of 18. 617 married couple households do not have any children. 117males house holds do have a wife present. 38mles house holds have children and 79 do not have children. There are 830 female house holds with no husband present. 483 people have children and 521 houses holds has single parents house holds with children under the age of 18. (SC community profiles)

Poverty

The poverty status in Marion is a big issue since many manufacturing industries are closing down. There were 4,780 people for which the poverty status is determined. According to the income in 1999, 1,370 people were below the poverty level. 3,410 people had an income in 1999 that was above the poverty level. The ratio of income to poverty level can be used to categorize people as above or below the poverty live but also measure the degree or depth of poverty.

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The ratio of income to poverty compares a person's income with their poverty threshold and expresses that comparison as a fraction. For an example: a poverty level of 1.0 means a person is living right at the poverty line; a ratio of 0.5 would mean that a person is living in a house hold making only half of the income designated as the poverty threshold. The Census Bureau describes this family with income below one half of their poverty threshold at being severely poor. People with income at or above their threshold but below 1.25 percent of their threshold are classified as "near poor" (SC community profiles)

The population under age 5 has 237 children over the poverty level and 57 children under the poverty level. For ages 5 there are 83 children under the poverty level. At age 6 to 11, to have there are 437 children over the poverty level and 281 children under the poverty level. And ages 18 to 64 have 3047 people over the poverty level and 116 people under the poverty level. The largest group age is 75 and older, had 351 people over the poverty level; and 139 people