February
2018
COMMUNITY CONNECTION
ALICE: The Consequences of Insufficient Household Income   
A Message from Richard Porth          
President/CEO of United Way of Connecticut  

The ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Household Survival Budget, is a barebones budget that covers just the essentials- food, housing, child care, transportation and health care. The 2016 Connecticut ALICE Report, a study of financial hardship, revealed that 38% of Connecticut households are unable to afford this frugal budget. A new national ALICE Report, The Consequences of Insufficient Household Income, explores the strategies deployed and subsequent consequences that result when households don't earn enough to make ends meet. Visit the Connecticut ALICE website ( http://alice.ctunitedway.org ) or click HERE to download a copy of the report.

To learn more about the challenges ALICE households face, try putting yourself in the shoes of a typical ALICE household that face obstacles such as affording childcare, finding transportation to work and putting food on the table. The "Making Tough Choices" ALICE Simulator walks you through some of the tough choices that ALICE is faced with every day.
 
Visit www.makingtoughchoices.org and see if you can "walk in ALICE's shoes" for 30 days.

Use 2-1-1 to Connect With Transportation Resources  

United Way of Connecticut 2-1-1's comprehensive database of health and human services includes information on bus, rail and ride opportunities across the state of Connecticut. In 2017, 2-1-1 received almost 3,000 service requests for transportation assistance and the Transportation Page was visit nearly 3,500 times. 
 
Visit the Transportation Page on the 211ct.org website to access transportation resources such as:
  • Local Bus and Rail Information
  • Disability Related Transportation
  • Family Prison Visitation Support
  • Medical Appointments Transportation
  • Senior Ride Programs
  • Ride Sharing Programs
United Way of Connecticut 2-1-1 is continuously striving to better meet the needs of Connecticut residents. If you are aware of transportation services that are not currently listed in our database please click HERE to let us know! To learn more about 2-1-1's transportation service requests check out the Connecticut 2-1-1 Transportation Barometer.

Thrive!
 
Thrive! is the Quality Recognition and Improvement System (QRIS) for the state of Connecticut. United Way of Connecticut 2-1-1 Child Care provides support to Thrive! for the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood. Since its launch, the Thrive! Website has had more than 150,000 visits from individuals and child care providers interested in trainings, professional development opportunities and other quality improvement supports.

To learn more about upcoming trainings and services visit www.thrivect.org.
Upcoming Career Fairs


Two upcoming career fairs provide job seekers and employers seeking talented candidates the opportunity to explore job opportunities and network.

The Heroes 4 Hire Veterans Career Fair will be held on Wednesday, April 4th at the Pratt & Whitney Rentschler Field Ballroom in East Hartford. Veterans can expect to meet with more 60 employers and organizations that are looking to fill jobs or provide information about education programs, apprenticeship opportunities, job training, and employment services. The event begins at 11:00 am and goes until 3:00 pm.
  
On April 6th, Manchester Community College will host their 30th annual Regional Job and Career Fair. The event will take place from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. Whether you're a newcomer to the job market or hoping to advance your current career, this career fair offers a great opportunity to connect with local employers. Manchester Community College is located at 60 Bidwell Street. Jobseekers do not need to preregister for this event. 

To learn more about these upcoming career fairs visit http://www.ctjobfairs.com.
  
Interested in United Way of Connecticut's 2017 Annual Report?
Click HERE!
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The mission of United Way of Connecticut is to help meet the needs of Connecticut and its residents by providing information, education and connection to services.