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Who We Serve
Meet ALICE
Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — Essential, Working, Struggling
Who is ALICE?
There is a misconception that food-insecure individuals are lazy, entitled, uneducated, unemployed, or homeless. While a very small percentage of individuals fit this description, the majority of families faced with food insecurity are working-class families, referred to by the United Way as ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — earning above the Federal Poverty Level yet struggling to afford all the basics, such as housing, childcare, education, food, transportation, health care, technology, and taxes.
ALICE may be your relative, friend, colleague, or neighbor, or you might be ALICE. ALICE may also be your health care provider, teacher, retail clerk, or sanitation worker. ALICE workers are the backbone of our economy, and we need ALICE.
ALICE Households:
- Span all races, ages, ethnicities, and abilities, though households of color are disproportionately ALICE
- Include workers whose wages cannot keep up with the rising cost of goods and services
- Often include those who are working two or more jobs and still cannot pay their bills
- Include family members who need care and assistance, which makes it harder for their caregivers to find adequate work
- Live paycheck to paycheck and are forced to make impossible choices: pay the rent or buy food, receive medical care or pay for child care, pay utility bills, or put gas in the car
- Are part of every community nationwide
Ensuring Dignity and Respect
Thought-provoking questions:
- 1.How can food assistance programs be designed to uphold the dignity and respect of those they serve?
- 2.What are some best practices for creating inclusive and non-judgmental environments in food banks and other assistance organizations?
- 3.Why and how is community involvement and empowerment in the fight against hunger important?
- 4.How can we ensure that those with lived experiences of food insecurity have a voice in shaping policies and programs?
- 5.What role does cultural competency play in providing respectful and effective food assistance?