Column: Have you met ALICE?

ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE represents the growing number of households in our communities that earn enough to be considered above the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), but do not earn enough to afford basic necessities. In New York State, 14% of residents fall below the poverty line. The ALICE threshold captures 31% of residents who are making more than the FPL, but most likely living paycheck to paycheck. In Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties, approximately four of every 10 people fall below this threshold. That equates to 65,905 households in our region. So, what's the significance? People who fall within the ALICE threshold often times make too much to receive state or federal assistance in times of need, maybe even a few dollars too much. ALICE individuals are good, hard-working people who could potentially be financially crippled by something like a surprise medical bill, needing a new furnace, or perhaps a problem with a vehicle. When living paycheck to paycheck, recovering from debt could seem impossible. Just like anything, COVID-19 has taken a toll on ALICE individuals by exposing critical areas of need for our economy, health care system, and education capacity during a national crisis. As we all know all too well, no one is immune to COVID's direct or indirect effects, but ALICE families are particularly vulnerable to hardship from both illness and economic disruption. We see the impact in children's ability to engage in learning, parents' ability to adapt to new working protocols, the impact on senior health and so much more. ALICE, by the very definition, did not have funds available to them to survive this health and economic crisis. In order to ensure economic stability for all, we must prioritize our efforts to support ALICE households. How can you help? Each individual action you take will help increase public awareness about ALICE. When combined with similar actions taken by others, our collective effort will help rebuild the ladder of opportunity for thousands of ALICE families living in New York. ADVOCATING for ALICE families and spreading the word about the 31% of people in New York State who are just getting by is a huge first step. VOLUNTEERING with organizations who support ALICE individuals could make a huge difference in someone's life, and DONATING to the cause even more so. For more information, you can visit our website: unitedwayadk.org/ALICE or call United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc. at 518-563-0028. -Meghan Weeden is the Marketing Specialist at United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc.

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Column: Have you met ALICE?

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