The United Way of Bucks County reports that 27 percent of households in the county are ALICE – Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed – and struggling to afford basic needs despite being employed.
Many of those families live paycheck to paycheck. They often earn too much for public assistance but not enough to achieve financial stability.
“Many hard working families in Bucks county struggle to afford the basics,” said P.J. O’Brien, impact services director at the United Way of Bucks County. “These families live paycheck to paycheck, earning too much for public assistance but not enough to stay financially secure.”or medical expense can push them into crisis.”
The federal poverty level for a family of four is $32,000 per year, but in Bucks County, the ALICE household survival budget for the same family is $86,000. If both children need childcare, that figure rises to $105,000.
“The federal poverty level has long been the standard for defining poverty in the U.S. However, it does not reflect the current true cost of living, nor does it account for regional differences in housing, utilities or other necessary household costs,” O’Brien said.
The nonprofit organization is partnering with four community banks to raise awareness and provide support for these families during ALICE Awareness Month, which the Bucks County Commissioners proclaimed for March.
Representatives from Penn Community Bank, Peoples Security Bank and Trust, QNB Bank, and Univest join United Way officials recently to highlight the challenges facing ALICE households.
“Right now in our county, 67,000 or about 27% of households are in this situation,” O’Brien explained. “They are paycheck to paycheck with little to no savings. That means an unexpected bill
Bank representatives share stories of ALICE families who received assistance through United Way programs.
Jeff Lehocky, executive vice president and CFO of QNB Bank, related the story of Megan, whose family struggles with medical expenses for her husband’s type-1 diabetes and a child with special needs.
“At our lowest point, we got a shutoff notice from PECO,” Lahocke quoted from Megan’s testimony. “Losing power wouldn’t just mean no lights. It would mean no way to keep my husband’s insulin cold.”
Rick Miller, senior vice president of People’s Security Bank and Trust, shared the story of Shana, a teacher and single foster parent who fell behind on rent after taking in an additional foster child.
“I’ve always found a way to make things work. But with grocery prices rising and bills piling up, it got harder and harder,” Miller said, quoting from Shana’s testimony.
Jeane Vidoni, president and CEO of Penn Community Bank, emphasizes the importance of supporting ALICE families.
“Many of these families are our customers and we work side by side with them in our communities every day,” Vidoni said. “This particular segment of our community is easily lost. They don’t qualify for the benefits we all debate about and they struggle and they work for us and with us every day.”
United Way of Bucks County offers several programs to help ALICE households achieve financial stability.
The programs include LIFT United (Learn to Invest in your Future and Thrive), which helps clients overcome transportation barriers and maintain good credit; Pre-K Counts, which provides over 450 Pre-K scholarships throughout the county; and a help center in Bristol that ensures families can meet basic needs like bedding, hygiene products, clothing, and school supplies.
“Too many essential workers in Bucks County are working full-time – sometimes juggling multiple jobs – yet still struggling to afford the basics,” said Marissa Christie, president and CEO at United Way of Bucks County. “ALICE households are typically our frontline workers, powering our community. When they are unable to remain stable and stably employed, it’s a community-wide challenge. We’re grateful to our county commissioners for recognizing this.”
As part of ALICE Awareness Month, the United Way of Bucks County will host the ALICE Experience, an immersive learning simulation, on March 20 at Newtown Brewing Company in Newtown Township.
According to the nonprofit, those who attend will be guided by United Way staff and step into the shoes of an ALICE family having to make tough financial decisions over a simulated month.
For more information about ALICE households, how to help, and to register for the ALICE Experience, visit uwbucks.org/ALICEmonth.
Editor’s Note: Publisher Tom Sofield is a member of the United Way of Bucks County Board of Directors.
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