Posts by Marc Daly
Meet ALICE: ALICE and Race
This is part of a series of blogs spotlighting the ALICE population and how our community can make a difference. Poverty and racism have been inextricably connected since this country’s inception, yet official federal statistics have never fully portrayed the economic impact of that link. United For ALICE, an initiative through United Way Worldwide, was…
Read MoreMeet ALICE: COVID-19 Pummels ALICE Households
This is part of a series of blogs spotlighting the ALICE population and how our community can make a difference. The pandemic has created two groups of ALICE workers: those who are in essential jobs and still working, typically on-site; and those who are in non-essential roles and now working far fewer hours or not…
Read MoreMeet ALICE: How Much Does ALICE Earn?
This is part of a series of blogs spotlighting the ALICE population and how our community can make a difference. Until COVID-19 hit, Michigan employment numbers had been relatively low in recent years. Yet the numbers weren’t telling the whole story. In Michigan, 61 percent of jobs pay less than $20 per hour, with almost…
Read MoreMeet ALICE: ALICE in Michigan
This is part of a series of blogs spotlighting the ALICE population and how our community can make a difference. People who are Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed (ALICE) make up 40% of Michigan’s population. Here’s what the 2019 ALICE Report revealed about these individuals and families: “Despite overall improvement in employment and gains…
Read MoreMeet ALICE: Getting to Know ALICE
Looking at poverty rates doesn’t give the full picture of how many individuals and families in a community struggle to make ends meet. That realization drives United Way’s work with ALICE—Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE encompasses what we once called the “working poor,” but it stands for much more. ALICE encompasses the people and…
Read MoreMeet ALICE: We Have a Lot to Learn
by Ken Toll Maya Angelou once penned an essay titled, “I’ve Learned.” She offered some great nuggets of wisdom, including this one: “I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.” Having lived nearly all of my life in Jackson, and after many years leading this United Way, I echo Angelou’s insight. I keep…
Read More#JacksonWeGotThis Week: Celebrating Success, Taking the Next Step
by Ken Toll What a difference a year makes! Last November, I posted a blog titled, “Why Every Day is #GivingTuesday.” In this lead-up to the annual day of charitable giving, I made this observation: “Modern life is so busy, so complex, with so many daily challenges, that there’s value in having a day where…
Read MoreIMPACT! Fighting Unlawful Evictions
Eviction can lead to homelessness. Yet many people don’t know the legal steps that must happen before they can be evicted—and the safeguards that can be brought to bear to keep someone in their home. Legal Services of South Central Michigan (LSSCM), a United Way partner, fights for those who face an unlawful eviction: LSSCM assisted a Jackson resident who faced…
Read MoreIMPACT! Partial To Girls Serves Female-Led Families
In Jackson County, 37% of families with children live below the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) threshold. These families struggle financially. Over a third of households countywide are single-parent households; nearly all of them are female-led. Those realities motivate Partial To Girls (PTG) to support underserved women and children in the Jackson area. Here’s…
Read MoreIMPACT! Bridging from Homelessness to Education
Riding the bus to school is one of those things you might not think about. But what if it was the only thing standing between you and a good education? For one student, our partnership with the Student Advocacy Center helped bridge the gap between homelessness and learning for the future: A 4th grade student…
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