Fifty low income, rural families living in Dane County, Wisconsin, having school-age children, were studied to obtain information that would be useful for community development work with families in rural areas, and to assess the delivery of social services in rural areas. Characteristics of the poor in Wisconsin and in the United States as a whole are examined. The results from interviews conducted for this study are reported. The rural poor, educational background, employment patterns, use of social services, and participation in social activities are topics discussed. It was found that poverty was a way of life for these rural families. It was also revealed that major obstacles to the rural family's involvement in community development projects exist. These obstacles are discussed. Augmented direct social services are recommended, and also some structural change in the present pattern of income distribution. (SW)