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Legislative Forum Report and
Recommendations
On February 25, 2019, Connecticut United Ways, the Connecticut Commission on
Women, Children, and Seniors and the Commission on Equity and Opportunity co-
sponsored a legislative forum o
n financial hardship and strategies to help families achieve financial security. The forum's theme was We Stand With ALICE and drew more than 110 participants - legislators and their staff, community leaders, employers, policy experts, and hard-working people struggling to make ends meet-ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed).
ALICE cares for our children and aging parents, fixes our cars and works in our local grocery stores, retail stores, and restaurants. ALICE is our friend, neighbor, coworker and family member. We lean on ALICE for support; yet, many ALICE households are one emergency away from a financial crisis impacting their ability to feed their family, heat their home, maintain their housing, and ensure their medical care. The 2018 Connecticut United Ways ALICE Report revealed that 40% of Connecticut households are struggling to make ends meet with 30% of households living above the poverty line but below the ALICE Household Survival Budget.
The We Stand With ALICE legislative forum provided a platform for discussion around some of the barriers and systemic issues that present the greatest challenges to ALICE. These challenges include: access to affordable, quality childcare; the need for more affordable housing; access to good jobs and education; financial instability and vulnerability to financial shock; and, benefit cliffs that cause many workers to choose between additional household income and the sudden loss of valuable supports/benefits.
Connecticut United Ways are excited to release the We Stand With ALICE Legislative Forum Report which summarizes the importation conversation that took place at the forum and makes recommendations, drawn from the discussion and Connecticut United Ways 2019 Policy Agenda, that are intended to support ALICE households as they work to achieve financial security.
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About Connecticut United Ways
Connecticut United Ways advance the common good by creating opportunities for all, with a particular focus on education, income/financial security, health, and basic needs - the building blocks for a good quality of life. We engage people and organizations throughout our communities who bring passion, expertise, and resources needed to get things done, and we invite everyone to be part of the change.
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