The Impact of the Holidays on ALICE Families

Did you know more than 50 percent of Broward County households are ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed) or living below the federal poverty level?  That’s half of our local population – people you might even know.

Bill, a hard-working father of two children, is ALICE. He has a regular job as a waiter in a Pompano Beach restaurant, but due to the pandemic, business isn’t what it used to be. Fewer customers are coming in, and tips are down. 

Marisabel, a mother of three children, works hard as a housekeeper in a Fort Lauderdale hotel. Her husband is a lawn maintenance worker, but he has been experiencing severe health issues and is afraid he will be forced to stop working due to the pain. 

And then there is Marty, a Veteran who owns his own dry-cleaning business in Hollywood. With fewer people going to the office for work, the need for dry cleaning and shirt laundering has gone down, leaving him struggling to maintain a viable income.
 
These are our neighbors! They are one crisis (a flat tire, a health problem like COVID-19) away from being able to provide essentials like food, healthcare and a home for their families. Then the holidays come around — typically a happy time for many — and those in the ALICE population wonder how they can afford that special family meal, holiday decorations and gifts for the children. 

You can bring help and hope to people like Bill, Marisabel and Marty by joining in United Way of Broward County’s “Uniting Hearts This Holiday Season” campaign. Simply make a donation to United Way of Broward County, and we will take care of the rest. The gifts we receive from holiday giving help families like these all year long.

Every day, year-round, United Way of Broward County fights for the HealthEducation and Financial ProsperityUniting Hearts BC of EVERY person in our community through more than 100 vital programs right here in Broward County. 
Please join us in our “Uniting Hearts This Holiday Season” campaign. Your gift today sends a powerful message saying you Stand United with our neighbors all year long.  Click here to make a donation.