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 an example:
Partial To Girls gathered families at a local housing complex in July to engage them and share with them the work that PTG does through United Way. PTG ended up staying out there and partnering with the Jackson Citizens Advisory Council, Trusted Advisors and Jackson Housing Commission employees for over three hours. PTG served about 30-plus families with diapers, wipes, personal hygiene items, free lunch, played games, passed out literature and masks, and even did some Census work.
Salena Taylor created Partial To Girls two years ago, inspired by her own challenges and desire to make life better for others. Responding to the pandemic, Taylor and Partial To Girls partnered with United Way to serve more than 800 families with diapers, formula, wipes and other essentials. Taylor calls United Way of Jackson “a game-changer and a life-saver for the community.”