Yesterday evening members of our community gathered at the Governor's Mansion in Baton Rouge to celebrate a successful first year of United Way of Southeast Louisiana's Blueprint for Prosperity and to reveal the latest data in our ALICE report. Governor John Bel Edwards and First Lady Donna Edwards served as hosts to United Way's key stakeholders in our work to eradicate poverty in our region and applauded our efforts to collectively impact the lives of those living below the ALICE threshold. Those in attendance included legislators, cabinet heads, and United Ways form across the state.
The latest data tells us that ALICE households (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) are continuing to grow across Louisiana.
Average Household Survival Budget in Louisiana:
- $16,871 for an individual
- $46,240 for a family of four to afford the bare minimum
In Southeast Louisiana:
- 496,142 total households
- 94,494 households in poverty
- 120,317 ALICE households
- 44% in our region are living in poverty or barely making ends meet
- A full 52% in Orleans Parish and 55% in Washington Parish are ALICE or living in poverty
United Way of Southeast Louisiana's Blueprint for Prosperity addresses the symptoms of poverty while working to create pathways to a better future for all people. We are investing in programs and collaborations that address issues of mental and physical wellness, income and employment, and education.
We advocate for policy that builds safer and healthier communities and policy that brings necessary funds into our region through EITC and Medicaid expansion.
We share our data, such as the ALICE report and our upcoming Prosperity Dashboard, to track our progress and build partnerships with others who care about these same issues.
In alignment with our Blueprint for Prosperity, we have invested in and partnered with several collaboratives this year, including the NOW Collaborative, which is working to create pathways to prosperity through job training and placement; and the Youth Force NOLA Collaborative, which works with schools to prepare our children for careers in health sciences, technology, engineering, and other fields.
United Way of Southeast Louisiana has also invested in 133 life-changing programs in our region to move the needle on poverty. And once again, United Way's VITA program brought volunteer tax preparation services to community members. Following the disasters that struck our region in the last year, we were able to provide immediate relief and continue with long-term recovery efforts. We mobilized more than 400 volunteers, and are committed to restoring at least 80 families to safe homes this year.
While there is still much work to be done, our Blueprint is moving us in the right direction and I am enthusiastic about what is ahead.
Charles Rice
President and CEO, Entergy New Orleans
Chairman, Board of Trustees, United Way of Southeast Louisiana
SAVE THE DATE: United Way of Southeast Louisiana's Annual Meeting will be on June 28, 2017