Today, the United Way of Northwest Louisiana is launching the ALICE report that 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. This in-depth report contains specific information on where individuals live by city and parish.

According to the United Way's press release:

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. In Louisiana, 695,719 households — 40 percent of the state’s total — are unable to afford basic cost of living, with conditions still lagging behind pre-recession levels, according to the report. In Northwest Louisiana, this statistic is actually higher than the state’s total at 44% percent.

“We believe this report could be placed in the center of tables across Louisiana to inspire the right kind of conversations— in nonprofits, 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 is the most comprehensive depiction of financial need in the state to date, using data from a variety of sources. The report unveils new measures based on present-day income levels and expenses that show how many Louisiana workers struggle financially and why.

To download the 263-page report that provides parish-by-parish and town-level data, visit www.unitedwaynwla.org or www.launitedway.org, which also features an interactive, online map that summarizes the scale of ALICE in each parish.

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