Meet Alice

I AM YOUR FRIEND. I AM YOUR NEIGHBOR. I HAVE A JOB, MAYBE EVEN TWO. YET MY FAMILY AND I STILL STRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, is a 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. For far too many families in Gratiot & Isabella Counties, the cost of living outpaces what they earn. These households struggle to manage even their most basic needs — housing, food, transportation, child care, health care, 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. We envision a community where all those who work to keep our local economies running can support themselves and their families.