No child should grow up without access to the resources and opportunity to meet their potential.
And yet, new ALICE in Focus: Children research reveals that over 168,000 Southeast Louisiana children — 55% — live in financially insecure households. These families often face difficult trade-offs that can affect a child’s health, education, and future well-being.
This new research shows that growing up in financial hardship isn’t limited to the 24% of our region’s children whose families earned at or below the federal poverty level, pre-pandemic. Another 32% lived in struggling ALICE households. ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families earn above the federal poverty level and therefore do not qualify for many assistance programs but earn too little to afford the basics.
For our state’s Black and Hispanic children, the stakes are even higher — 66% and 56%, respectively, are living in households that cannot afford the basics.
No longer will the data undercount and overlook the needs of ALICE children.
Thanks to our partnership with United For ALICE, we have a wealth of new data now available to help inform equitable solutions to increase access to stable housing and quality health care and education. Click here to discover interactive online dashboards, an overview research brief, and ways United Way SELA is helping ALICE children and families.
We’re digging into the new data too and look forward to hearing how we can work together to serve all children in need.
Living United,
Michael Williamson
President and CEO
United Way of Southeast Louisiana
PS. Please help us spread the word on social media about #ALICECHILDREN and how this new data can help to drive lasting, positive change.