Matt Lynn says many people are one crisis away from having to make a choice between buying medicine for a child, paying their rent or a utility bill. The Director of Community Impact for the United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region says those people fall into the category known as ALICE.
ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed. Lynn describes that as people above poverty line, who don’t have enough income to save for retirement or their children’s college education. He says that includes people who are working or on a fixed-income.
Lynn says news of a growing job market is welcome, but he says many of those new jobs aren’t paying enough for people to afford more than basic necessities. He says most new workers are entering the job market at just above the level to qualify for federal assistance.
Asked about the breakdown of those near the poverty line, Lynn says there is a race and gender gap when it comes to wage and earned income. He says minorities earn less on average than whites, while women earn less than men. Lynn says more people are working longer because pension or social security income doesn’t provide enough income to live comfortably in retirement.
Lynn says the United Way is focusing on education, housing and workforce development to address ALICE. He says they have the “ambitious goal” of moving 8,500 households in the region over the next 10 years above poverty and toward economic stability. Lynn says that will require working with other non-profit groups. He says they also want to make policy makers aware of the problems facing low-income families.
