We Are ALICE

A family of four with an infant and a preschooler needs to annually make $88,000 to live comfortably. Two out of every five families in our Suncoast region don’t earn enough to address their basic household budget needs. As the statistics from the 2023 ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Report roll in, we recognize that more people find themselves living paycheck to paycheck and working hard to keep their heads over water. But we also recognize the best way to help involves marshaling our resources and uniting the community behind a collective effort. That’s what we’ve done at United Way Suncoast since 1924 and that’s what we do today. Visit http://www.unitedforalice.org/florida to learn more about the report, and keep and eye out for media accounts detailing the specifics about ALICE families in our region.

WE TALK ALICE

Would you like someone from United Way Suncoast to give an ALICE 2023 presentation to your organization?

United Way Suncoast’s ALICE Data Walk Blog

Learn more about why United Way Suncoast believes it’s important to continue raising awareness about the challenges facing ALICE families.

45% of all homes in our 5-county footprint are ALICE or under the federal poverty line.

Who is ALICE?

  • Florida: 8.5 million households 
    (21.2 million people), 
  • 3.9 million with income below the ALICE threshold
  • Locally, > 2 of 5 households live below the ALICE Threshold. 
  • That’s over 600,000 or 45% of all

Who is ALICE?

  • Florida: 8.5 million households 
    (21.2 million people), 

  • 3.9 million with income below the
    ALICE threshold. 

  • Locally, > 2 of 5 households live below
    the ALICE Threshold. 

  • That’s over 600,000 or 45% of all

ALICE in the workplace

Within the top 20 occupations in the state, an estimated one-third of all employees are below the ALICE threshold (995,283).
Of the top 20 occupations in Florida, 70% of them pay less than $20/hour; 

ALICE in the workplace

Within the top 20 occupations in the state, an estimated one-third of all employees are below the ALICE threshold (995,283). ​Of the top 20 occupations in Florida, 70% of them pay less than $20/hour; 

What We Do To Help ALICE Families

UWS Investment Partnership Results

  • Workforce Development Programs – almost every measure is at or above the yearly goal in the 3rd quarter
  • Supporting community partners to increase job attainment and income through:
    • +1,400 people placed in jobs or given a promotion/raise – nearly double the goal
    • +500 people in progress earning certificates or higher education degrees
    • Assisted almost 4,000 people in applying for benefits applications to provide additional support to themselves and their families
    • +500 middle school students exposed to post-secondary education or career options that align with their interests

UWS Community Collaborations

  • New summer youth workforce program in partnership with Career Source
  • Increase in Resource Center partner collaboration through topic-focused workgroups
  • Building on a successful winter holiday meal distribution event, our team expanded this partnership to include an Easter meal distribution
  • Connection of Preserve Vision with our Quality Childcare Initiative sites, which led to 86 children being vision screened and 14 referred to receive glasses
  • Convening food providers with summer educational programming to ensure students have nutritious food available during the summer
  • Connecting early learning centers to paid trainings through the Early Learning Coalitions
  • Creation of interactive learning trails at four parks in Pinellas County
  • Increasing literacy through arts by collaborating with the Van Wezel Summer Resident Program to support over 150 children

FREEDOM TO RISE PODCAST

United Way Suncoast Community Impact Vice Presidents Andrea Doggett and Doug Griesenauer join Chief Impact Officer and Freedom To Rise host Bronwyn Beightol for a review of the latest findings from the 2023 ALICE Report. Listen in as Andrea and Doug explain how the data informs our mission.

Give Today!

The 2023 ALICE Report revealed that a family of four with an infant and a preschooler needs $88,000 to live comfortably. Don’t let the word “comfortably” deceive you. Comfortably means being able to go to the doctor without feeling anxious about the cost. Comfortably means being able to contribute towards your retirement and buy groceries. It’s not luxury, it’s stability. At United Way Suncoast we partner with families and work together to help them reach that stability, but we can’t do it alone. Give today and help United Way Suncoast create a community that will give every family the freedom to rise. 

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