If you have ever thought twice about getting medical care because you knew it would hurt your wallet, then you have been in Linwood's shoes. He needed dental work, but he didn't have the means to pay for it, even though he was fully employed. With his employer, Linwood even had insurance, but it wouldn't cover the dental work he needed.
Contributed by Amy Andrews
Did you know that 46% of the workforce in Charlotte cannot afford safe and decent housing? This means that 46% of workers are forced to spend more than a third of their hard-earned income on housing costs alone.
To make things more complicated for future homeowners, rental rates are increasing annually at a much higher percentage than wages. Even successful renters are continuing to find it more difficult to save enough for a down payment on a home of their own with high rent payments and basic living necessities.
This year’s Spotlight Series is presented by the Amy and Brian France Foundation and in January we are focusing in on our local nonprofit partners who provide programming to improve financial literacy and who are helping to build a stronger economy one neighbor at a time.