Kerr County ALICE Population
ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, is a new way of defining and understanding the struggles of households that earn above the Federal Poverty Level, but not enough to afford a bare-bones household budget that covers all necessities.
For far too many families, the cost of living outpaces what they earn. These households struggle to manage even their most basic needs - housing, food, transportation, childcare, healthcare, and necessary technology.
When funds run short, cash-strapped households are forced to make impossible choices, such as deciding between quality child care or paying the rent, 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.
WHO IS ALICE
Despite the critical nature of many jobs to keep our local economies running – educating our youngest children, keeping our ailing parent safe – these workers often struggle to keep their own households from financial ruin.
ALICE is your childcare worker, the cashier at your supermarket, the gas attendant, the salesperson at your big box store, your waitress, a home-health aide, an office clerk. ALICE cannot always pay the bills, has little or nothing in savings, and is forced to make tough choices such as deciding between quality child care or paying the rent. One unexpected car repair or medical bill can push these financially strapped families over the edge.
ALICE Simulation-Bexar County
This ALICE simulation is a supplemental and separate tool from the ALICE Report and is produced and operated independently from the ALICE Report, which is produced by United For ALICE as part of the United Way Of San Antonio and Bexar County.
MAKING TOUGH CHOICES-Bexar County
You are about to put yourself in the shoes of a typical ALICE® family. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE families are those that have earnings above the Federal Poverty Level, but below a basic cost-of-living threshold. In other words, they are struggling to make ends meet. More than one in three Bexar County families are ALICE; combined with those in poverty, more than half of Bexar County households are experiencing financial hardship.
For the next few minutes, you’ll experience some of the tough choices that these families have to make every single day and how United Way is doing all that we can to help them along the way.