United Way of Northern New Jersey 2013 Campaign

United Way of Northern New Jersey 2013 Campaign Post Foods, November 11

Congratulations! It’s your first United Way campaign, so…. THANK YOU for being part of our work! Let’s work together to improve lives.

Post Foods…sharing goodness Thanks for sharing your goodness Together, with United Way, you can show you care about community…and are active in improving it Your contribution will make a difference!

United Way is a catalyst for change in our communities Our goal is to solve community problems • Make strategic investments • Inspire change • Develop partnerships with key leaders and organizations

United Way improves lives We strengthen the community by focusing on: EDUCATION We help children and youth thrive INCOME We help people become financially stable HEALTH We improve the health of family caregivers

We give ALICE a fighting chance The focus of our work is understanding and improving conditions for those living in poverty and a group we call ALICE: Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed 1 in 4 New Jersey households can’t get by – despite working, they struggle to afford the basics of housing, food, child care, health care, transportation

ALICE Financial Hardship in New Jersey United Way of Northern New Jersey

What the research revealed… 8 29 October 2020

A problem of unfathomable magnitude Household Income New Jersey, 2010 Poverty 10% ALICE 24% Daily Record, 9. 3. 12 Above Threshold 66% One in three households struggle to survive Star Ledger, 9. 2. 12

ALICE looks like you and me • ALICE mirrors the New Jersey population in terms of race & ethnicity • ALICE exists in all types households • From 2007 – 2010 the number of ALICE and poverty – level households with children increased by 61 percent. Courier News, 9. 3. 12 10 29 October 2020

ALICE exists in every community • ALICE is not just in urban centers where there is a high concentration of poverty. • Half of New Jersey’s 566 towns have over 30 percent of households earning less that what is needed to afford the basics. 11 29 October 2020

Why does ALICE exist? 12 29 October 2020

Incredibly high cost of living Household Survival Budget monthly costs – NJ average - 2010 2 adults, Single adult 1 infant, 1 toddler Housing Child care Food Transportation Health care Miscellaneous Taxes Monthly total ANNUAL TOTAL hourly wage $ 1, 217 $ 1, 319 $ 548 $ 463 $ 397 $ 443 $ 923 $ 181 $ 302 $ 99 $ 192 $ 488 $ 4, 875 $ 58, 499 Two adults $29. 25/hr (combined) $ 417 $ 2, 114 $ 25, 365 $ 12. 68/hr Source: Fair Market Rent, HUD; National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies; Thrifty USDA Food Plan; Consumer Expenditure Survey; Federal and NJ state income tax tables – all for 2007 and 2010. (wage = 40 hour week, 50 weeks/year)

ALICE is one emergency from crisis Costly car repair Can’t get to work Lose job Can’t pay rent/mortgage Homeless “The ability to borrow in an emergency does as much to reduce hardship as tripling family income” - Mc. Kernan, Ratcliffe, Shanks, 2011

These are jobs that are essential to our economy New Jersey, 2010 Retail Salespersons Cashiers Laborers, Stock, and Movers Janitors and Cleaners Food Preparation and Serving Waiters and Waitresses Customer Service Rep Nursing Aides, Orderlies Bookkeeping, Accounting Clerks Teacher Assistants Security Guards Packers and Packagers, Hand Home Health Aides Number of jobs Ave hourly wage 114, 890 101, 790 73, 840 69, 010 63, 310 57, 030 55, 420 51, 070 47, 870 44, 050 37, 310 30, 600 29, 550 $12. 85 $9. 65 $12. 55 $12. 95 $9. 40 $11. 20 $17. 10 $12. 85 $18. 85 $12. 14 $13. 95 $10. 35 $10. 95 Source: NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Wage Survey All Industries Combined, 2010.

Why should we care about ALICE? 16 29 October 2020

We are all interconnected • ALICE households suffer without sufficient income. • The whole community suffers when ALICE has insufficient income.

How are we helping ALICE? 18 29 October 2020

Strategies to assist ALICE • Short-term - help ALICE weather an crisis - food pantry, TANF, and childcare subsidies • Medium-term - quality affordable childcare, safety network, car loans, house repair, energy assistance, health clinics • Long-term - affordable housing, attract medium skilled jobs, public transportation, healthcare coverage

EDUCATION: Helping children reach their potential

United Way Success By 6 & ALICE Problem: Of the 80, 000 children under five years olds in our region, approximately 5, 000 poverty and 20, 000 ALICE Goal: Help ALICE & poverty families access safe, affordable, and quality childcare 21 29 October 2020

We give children a solid start United Way Success By 6 Playground Improvements Project • Urgent need of nonprofit child care centers serving low-income and ALICE children • Must upgrade playgrounds to comply with new federal regulations by October 18, 2014 • Children need a place to play outdoors for their physical, social, and emotional development • Costly for child care centers that serve low-income children at discounted tuition rate

Campaign and beyond Insert picture(s) of local volunteers, staff, campaigns Opportunities to get involved all year round • Volunteer Opportunities • United Way Mentor Center • United Way Women’s Leadership Council • United Way Young Professionals

Doris Thomas 973. 993. 1160, x 111 Doris. Thomas@United. Way. NNJ. org

Thank You!