State of the People of the Pioneer Valley

HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) - The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission today released a 10-year update of the ' State of the People in the Pioneer Valley.'

It's a report measuring how the region, and the people who live in it, measure up across eight categories.

Good, but not perfect. That's the overall grade of the 2013 'State of the People in the Pioneer Valley' report. The 10-year evaluation gives letter grades in eight categories: Children and Youth; Elderly; Education; Health and Safety; Economic Security; Housing; Civic, Arts, Recreation; Environment.

High letter grades in the report went to areas like the environment. The quality of the environment across the region and steps people are taking to protect it. But the project also highlights things that need improvement, like the economic security of the people who live here.

“How much money people have, how many people are living in poverty, how many people have access to food,” said Molly Goren-Watts of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.

Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Director Timothy Brennan told 22News he's proud of how well agencies across the region work together to determine the needs of our communities.

“This is a perfect example of a planning commission coming together, a whole variety of social service agencies, to focus in on the condition of the people who live here,” Brennan said.

Now donors across the region will use this tool to direct their funding and strategies to the areas and people who need it most.

“If we are paying attention and we dedicate resources to a particular area we will see improvements,” said Dora Robinson who is president of the United Way of the Pioneer Valley.

To see the full State of the People in the Pioneer Valley report, click here.