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Thousands of CT families can’t afford basic needs, despite earning wages above poverty level

FILE, 2021: Bare shelves line the walls of the community fridge operated by Aida Rivera outside the Bridgeport chapel of Kingdom Builders Impact Ministries. As food prices rise with inflation, the needs and requirements of community refrigerators is also rising.
Mark Mirko
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FILE, 2022: Bare shelves line the walls of the community fridge operated by Aida Rivera outside the Bridgeport chapel of Kingdom Builders Impact Ministries. The latest ǻ ALICE report shows 38% of ǻ households cannot afford basics including housing, childcare, food and transportation, in the communities where they live.

Some ǻ families are unable to afford everyday needs, despite earning above poverty wages.

The latest shows 38% of ǻ households cannot afford basics including housing, child care, food and transportation, in the communities where they live.

ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. The represents the minimum income necessary for survival of a household in a certain community.

ALICE households earn more than the Federal Poverty Level, but not enough to thrive in their county. The study is administered by United Way of ǻ.

“These are workers often struggling to keep their own households from financial ruin, while keeping our local communities running,” Isabel Almeida, CEO of United Way of Coastal and Western ǻ said. “Alice represents approximately 40% of individuals living in Fairfield County.”

Housing availability and affordability is a barrier for ALICE families, Almeida said.

ǻ towns and cities range from having 14% to 69% of households below the ALICE threshold.

At 69% of households, Bridgeport has the highest number in the state of families earning more than poverty level income, but unable to afford basic needs.

Along with Bridgeport, other Fairfield County communities are also hit hard, with Danbury, Stratford, Norwalk and Stamford having nearly half their families below the ALICE threshold, according to the report.

About one in five Fairfield County families are below the threshold, according to Ashley Gaudiano, senior vice president of community impact at United Way of Coastal and Western ǻ.

“We have to really think about not just those who make up the federal poverty level, but more importantly, who makes up the Alice threshold, who makes just enough money to survive in a community, not even to thrive,” Gaudiano said.

A permanent child tax credit and affordable childcare would alleviate families’ financial burden, according to experts.

Abigail is ǻ's housing reporter, covering statewide housing developments and issues, with an emphasis on Fairfield County communities. She received her master's from Columbia University in 2020 and graduated from the University of ǻ in 2019. Abigail previously covered statewide transportation and the city of Norwalk for Hearst ǻ Media. She loves all things Disney and cats.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from ǻ, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de ǻ, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Fund the Facts

You just read trusted, local journalism that’s free for everyone, thanks to donors like you.

If that matters to you, now is the time to give. Join the 50,000+ members powering honest reporting and a more connected — and civil! — ǻ.

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ǻ’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.