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Embargoed for Release September 20, 2019 Contact: Mary Graham |
New United Way Report Finds More than One in Three Households in Tennessee Struggle to Meet Basic Needs
Sept. 20, 2019, Nashville, Tenn.—United Ways of Tennessee (UWTN) is pleased to release
ALICE in Tennessee: A Financial Hardship Study. This groundbreaking report reveals the
challenges facing
working families who are struggling to stay afloat. To read an embargoed
copy of the report and
find county-by-county and town-level data on the size and demographics
of ALICE, as well as
the community conditions and costs faced by ALICE households,
https://www.unitedforalice.org/tennessee and
enter the password LiveUnitedTN.
ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed and represents households
that are working but
cannot afford the basic necessities of housing, food, child care, health care,
transportation and a
smartphone. The report is a project of United For ALICE, a grassroots
movement of more than 600 United Ways and their
corporate, government and nonprofit
partners that all use the same
methodology for documenting financial need.
“The report is the most
comprehensive depiction of financial need in our state to-date,” said
Mary Graham, president
of UWTN. “Unlike the official federal poverty level, which doesn’t
accurately account for
local costs of living, our report factors in the costs of housing, food,
health care,
transportation and other basic needs to determine what it truly costs to live
in
Tennessee.”
Key findings from ALICE
in Tennessee: A Financial Hardship Study include:
·
Of Tennessee’s 2,589,017 households, 15
percent lived in poverty in 2017 and another 24 percent were ALICE
households. Combined, 39% (1,017,504
households) had income below the ALICE threshold, an increase of 17% since 2007.
·
Households with income below the ALICE
threshold make up between 20% and 59% of households in every county in
Tennessee.
·
Thirty-eight percent of families with
children under the age of 18 have income below the ALICE threshold.
·
Several demographic groups in our state
have lower incomes and are more likely to live in ALICE households, including
people of color; women; those identifying as LGBTQ; those with lower levels of
education; those with a disability; recent undocumented, unskilled or limited
English-speaking immigrants; younger veterans; and formerly incarcerated
people.
· More than 40% Tennessee’s senior households live below the ALICE threshold (30% ALICE, 11 below federal poverty level).
The results of this
extensive study are presented in a data-rich website that examines statewide
trends, as well as in-depth
information for each of Tennessee’s counties at the neighborhood
level, with county
profiles and interactive maps.
“We will use this
information to raise awareness and take action to address the growing ranks of
ALICE households across
Tennessee,” said Graham. “These working
families are doing their
part, but as our data
makes clear, hard work alone is not enough to survive and thrive. We now
have a nonpartisan tool
that United Way can use to partner with businesses, government,
nonprofits, the
faith-based community, and our state’s citizens to help struggling families move
up.”
To see all of this
information and learn more about the report, please visit:
The ALICE report for
Tennessee was funded in part by the BB&T, First
Tennessee, First
Tennessee
Foundation, and the Tennessee Afterschool Network.
About
United Ways of Tennessee
United Ways of Tennessee (UWTN) is
the association of 34 United Ways, coming together for collective action to fight
for the health, education and financial stability of everyone living in our
state. As Tennessee’s leading community
solutions provider, we are the driving force behind many initiatives that
provide solutions to the most critical needs.
About United For ALICE
United for ALICE is a driver of innovation, shining a light on the challenges ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households face and finding collaborative solutions. Through a standardized methodology that assesses the cost of living in every county, this project provides a comprehensive measure of financial hardship across the U.S. Equipped with this data, ALICE partners convene, advocate, and innovate in their local communities to highlight the issues faced by ALICE households and to generate solutions that promote financial stability. The grassroots movement represents United Ways, corporations, nonprofits and foundations in Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin; we are United For ALICE. For more information, visit: UnitedForALICE.org or contact Stephanie Hoopes, PhD, National Director, United for ALICE at [email protected] and 302-634-0906.
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