We’ve all faced an inconvenient expense. Your car battery dies. One of your kids is sick and can’t go to school. You’ve got a cavity that needs fixing.

Now imagine you’re living paycheck to paycheck, just barely keeping up with your bills. Suddenly, that inconvenience becomes a crisis.

That’s the reality for 61,000 households in our region who are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, also known as ALICE. They are working people who earn above the Federal Poverty Level but not enough to afford a bare-bones household budget. Some 41% of households in our region fall below the ALICE threshold.

Each of us encounters ALICE every day—serving your beverage at the coffee shop, bagging your groceries, taking care of your homebound parent.

“ALICE individuals are vital contributors to our community,” said Nakia Baylis, Community Impact Associate. “We depend on them for countless services every day.”

When funds run short, cash-strapped households are forced to make impossible choices, Baylis added. They must decide between quality child care or paying the rent, or filling a prescription or fixing the car. “These short-term decisions have long-term consequences not only for ALICE families, but for all of us,” she said.

Currently, United Way BCKR invests more than $1.15 million every year in 18 programs specifically designed to help people who are either in poverty or ALICE achieve financial stability—not to mention dozens of other investments that support ALICE families in various ways.

We think we can do more—with your help.

This month we’re launching ALICE 2020. Our goal is to create a team of 2,020 supporters who will donate, volunteer and advocate to help ALICE individuals and families.

What might that help look like? Something as simple as getting informed and sharing what you know about ALICE can make a difference. Volunteering for an ALICE-focused service project, or writing to a legislator about a policy that affects ALICE, all play a part. And, of course, financial gifts fuel the programs that can change lives for ALICE in our community.

As a member of the ALICE 2020 team, you’ll get:

• A sticker with the ALICE 2020 logo you can display with pride
• An information card so you can educate friends and family about ALICE
• A regular e-newsletter with local stories and progress reports
• Personal invitations to ALICE 2020 volunteer events
• Opportunities to advocate on policy issues that impact ALICE
• Your name added to our ALICE 2020 Advocates webpage

Sign up today! Click here to go to our special ALICE webpage.