We all know people who are ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE workers educate our children, keep us healthy, and make our quality of life possible, yet do not earn enough to support their own families. ALICE households are forced to make tough choices, such as deciding between quality child care or paying the rent, which have long-term consequences not only for ALICE, but for us all.
ALICE represents the large population of working members of our communities who are still struggling to provide basic necessities for themselves and their families. There is a great deal of information about the ALICE report and project at https://www.uwp.org/alice/about-alice/. The report shows county-specific data for the ALICE population along with the estimated household budget for different family sizes, and the numbers show an alarming reality for Lycoming, Sullivan and Tioga counties.
While 37% of all households in Pennsylvania are at Poverty + ALICE level, this number is at 30% in Lycoming County, 31% in Sullivan County, and 25% in Tioga County. In analyzing and evaluating the data, we will be able to address the issues around the ALICE population in a more holistic and dynamic way.
All that information will enhance the way we are supporting those individuals that fall below the ALICE threshold. As you know, one of our Community Impact Goals is to promote financial stability by meeting the basic needs of our residents with a focus on self-sufficiency. With the emergence of the ALICE report, we will work to reduce the ALICE population in our communities by moving individuals into a more stable financial condition.
For those who are interested in finding out more about who ALICE is locally and how to help, visit https://www.uwp.org/alice/about-alice/ or https://www.unitedforalice.org/.
If you’d like to sit down and discuss ways that you and/or your organization can assist, please let us know. Moving forward, with your help, we will look for ways to address the needs of the ALICE population in our area.
GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. LIVE UNITED