Working at United Way SRC, I have noticed a common misconception about the people we serve. But a recent study by United Way proves what my coworkers and I have witnessed at our office in recent years that a large part of Americans are struggling. In our community, approximately 1 in 3 people are financially stressed. The unstable economy throughout the past decade and the volatile job market have created many other problems beyond the surface. One of these problems is the creation of a new population. United Way calls this the ALICE population. Alice is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed people. These are our neighbors, our mail men, our bank tellers, our food servers. These are everyday people working hard at their jobs to make a living. They are one mishap away from having to ask for help from agencies such as United Way SRC. More and more often, United Way SRC receives phone calls from a nurse at a local facility, whose husband just passed and is now trying desperately to stretch her sudden single income to make ends meet; and then the roof begins to leak or the car breaks down.
United Way SRC receives calls through its First Call For Help Line 983-7200, and the calls are then screened for indirect and direct service. United Way SRC’s community needs assessment for 2014 indicates the greatest request for assistance is in 3 areas utilities, housing and rent. The issues arisen in recent years are the lack of assistance for the ALICE population. Being employed and not receiving government assistance, the answer struggling families receive is typically, “Sorry, we can’t help you. You make too much money.” There is a huge gap between people in poverty and the wealthy. Everyone in between has nowhere to go for any type of assistance. Where can an elderly couple get help to fix their wheelchair ramp? What does a family of four do when their water well suddenly no longer functions and they are left without running water? With this recent study, United Way is trying to change that. Currently, United Way of SRC is seeking to alter its processes to include funding allocated to the ALICE population. Impoverished populations are taken care of by government agencies. United Way SRC is positioning itself away from aiding the impoverished and is focusing on receiving and distributing unrestricted local funding back into the Santa Rosa community to help those working to better themselves.
United Way was founded for 128 years ago. It can change and refocus quicker than other systems due to its flexible structure. It is great to see such an experienced system allow itself to grow and change with the times. It is of upmost importance to realize and let the government handle its government programs, while United Way organizations across the county take care of the hardworking laborers in their communities.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Who is ALICE?