The Louisiana Association of United Ways has created two hashtags for use to talk about ALICE in social media. The hashtags are: #meetALICE (to introduce the concept of ALICE, data, report terminology and report goals) and #ALICELA (for Louisiana specific information content).
BATON ROUGE, La., Jan. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Louisiana Association of United Ways (LAUW), along with 11 United Ways across the state, is pleased to release the United Way ALICE Report for Louisiana. ALICE, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, places a spotlight on a large population of hardworking residents who are struggling to make ends meet, have little or no savings, and are one emergency away from falling into poverty.
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In Louisiana, 695,719 households — 40 percent of the state total — are unable to afford basic cost of living, with conditions still lagging behind pre-recession levels, according to the report.
"We believe this report could be placed in the center of tables across Louisiana to inspire the right kind of conversations— in non-profits, churches, businesses, municipal and state government offices, even on the dinner table in homes," said Sarah Berthelot, President/CEO of LAUW. "The United Way ALICE Report for Louisiana provides statewide and hyperlocal data. Sadly, there is no single solution to 'fix' the challenges that so many in Louisiana face. However, armed with information from this report, everyone can make more informed decisions to create policies, programs and priorities to improve the lives of ALICE in Louisiana."
To download the 263-page report that provides parish-by-parish and town-level data, go to www.launitedway.org. The site also features an interactive, online map that that summarizes the scale of ALICE in each parish.
"United Ways throughout Louisiana have come together to give an identify and voice to people who work hard and yet struggle to make ends meet — people we call ALICE," said Sarah Berthelot, "The Louisiana Association of United Ways has been honored to lead this collaborative effort in our state."
The United Way ALICE Report is the most comprehensive depiction of financial need in the state to date, using data from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Census. The report unveils new measures, based on present-day income levels and expenses that show how many Louisiana workers struggle financially and why.
To produce the United Way ALICE Report for Louisiana, a team of researchers collaborated with a Research Advisory Committee, composed of 19 representatives from around Louisiana, who advised and contributed to the report. Louisiana is one of the first ten states in the country to produce an ALICE study. This collaborative model, practiced in each state, ensures each United Way ALICE Report presents unbiased data that is replicable, easily updated on a regular basis, and sensitive to local context. Working closely with United Ways, the United Way ALICE Project seeks to equip communities with information to create innovative solutions.
The Entergy Corporation serves as the lead state sponsor and the Louisiana representative on the National ALICE Advisory Council. As a Louisiana Friend of ALICE, JPMorgan Chase is also a supporter of this project.
"Entergy is committed to giving back to the community, because we can only be as strong as the communities we serve," said Patty Riddlebarger, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Entergy Corporation. "As one of only two Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Louisiana, we take seriously our responsibility to support efforts such as the United Way ALICE Project. The ALICE Project is a road map to stronger communities and economic development. We will use this report to do our part, knowing it will take everyone working together to create a brighter future for all Louisianians."
About the Louisiana Association of United Ways
The Louisiana Association of United Ways (LAUW) is an association of seven regional United Ways serving 49 parishes throughout Louisiana. Our mission is to integrate action and resources for the common good. We work across our communities to tackle challenges that affect individuals, families and whole communities — challenges that are ultimately bigger than any of us and impact our entire state. We are part of a global network of more than 1,800 United Ways, servicing communities in 41 countries.
State contact: Sarah Berthelot
Louisiana Association of United Ways
Twitter: @Sarah Berthelot
Media contact: Jan Risher 337-230-8214
Email
SOURCE Louisiana Association of United Ways
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