At United Way of Whatcom County, we talk a lot about ALICE data and what it means for our community. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed and refers to hardworking people who earn more than the Federal Poverty Level but not enough to afford the actual cost of living in their own communities. Our new program, ALICE@Work, aims to help ALICE workers and families through creative partnerships with local employers. Read on to learn the Why, What, and How of this innovative program created by the United for ALICE research team.
Why ALICE@Work?
ALICE lives in Whatcom County.
Local ALICE data breaks down the true cost to afford the most basic necessities like food, housing, transportation, childcare, healthcare, and technology right here in our community. It also shows us how many households in Whatcom County can’t make ends meet, despite working one or more jobs. The ALICE Household Survival Budget reflects the bare minimum cost of household basics necessary to live and work in the current economy. The budget is calculated separately for each county and for different household types and is updated as costs and household needs change over time.
The most recent ALICE report reveals that 45% of Whatcom County households earn below the ALICE Household Survival Budget. Many of these households don’t qualify for additional help or services, because they make more than the Federal Poverty Level, which is an extremely outdated and ineffective way to measure financial hardship, as you can see here:
|
Federal Poverty Level* |
|
| Individual | $14,580 |
| Family of Four | $30,000 |
Are you imagining how impossible it would be to get by earning this annual income? Even twice that would be a struggle, which is why measuring financial hardship using the Federal Poverty Level isn’t helpful, especially when you’re talking about working individuals and families.
According to the ALICE report, an individual living in Whatcom County needs to earn $35,316 to afford the basics. And a family of four with two young children in childcare in our community needs to earn $119,076 just to get by.
|
ALICE Survival Budget* |
|
| Individual | $35,316 |
| Family of Four | $119,076 |
Having ALICE data is critical because it helps us redefine what financial struggle looks like, so we can look at different ways to help.
What is ALICE@Work?
Partnering with Local Employers to Make a Difference.
United Way of Whatcom County is partnering with the ALICE research team on an innovative new program called ALICE@Work.
This partnership between United Ways and local employers examines what ALICE looks like in their workplaces and helps businesses create custom strategies to help alleviate financial challenges and barriers that workers are facing. Not only does this program help companies implement policies to enhance workplace success and sustainability, it helps increase employee retention, productivity, and engagement.
Key components of the program include:
- A company data report
- Dynamic, real-time course facilitation with an ALICE@Work trainer
- 12 month engagement on action planning
- Ability to earn SHRM and/or HRCI Professional Development credits
Companies who participate in this program receive a confidential data review and analysis of ALICE in their workforce from the ALICE research team. They also get to take part in a series of interactive training sessions and design a tailored action plan they can implement based on their specific workforce, industry, goals, and resources.
United Way of Whatcom County is proud to be the first United Way in the western region to complete a cohort.
How Did the First ALICE@Work Cohort go?
A Meaningful Collaboration with Tangible Takeaways and Real Results.
Our very first ALICE@Work session was a big success! We were joined by several companies from a variety of sectors including public sector, finance/banking, and nonprofit. Led by an expert trainer from the ALICE research team, our six, two-hour sessions were super interactive and eye-opening, with all of us experiencing several aha moments.
“The ALICE@Work learning program provided me with a fresh framework for supporting and empowering employees in today’s modern landscape. As a former ALICE employee, I resonated with the unintended consequences that can result from traditional pay and benefit structures. I highly recommend that decision makers engage in this informative program!” ~ALICE@Work participant
The goal of this innovative program is to partner with local employers, providing a clear picture of what ALICE looks like in their workplaces and to explore a variety of ways organizations can help ease some of the burdens ALICE employees are facing. Participants represented a full range of situations and resources, but all agreed that shifting the way we think about supporting employees can be a difference maker when it comes to helping ALICE families navigate work and life. We also agreed that making sure employees feel seen, heard, and valued pays off big when it comes to employee retention, engagement, and morale.
We know there is no easy fix for financial stability, and it’s not always possible to simply pay people more. The conversations we had as a group went well beyond wages and compensation, examining a multitude of roadblocks for employees with limited resources including transportation, scheduling, PTO, employee benefits, and the age-old organizational challenge of doing things a certain way because that’s the way it’s always been.
Patterns and habits are real, and even the most well-intended systems aren’t always set up to help the folks who need it most. The ALICE@Work program is a great way to collaborate and learn with other employers who want to understand more about the issues their employees are facing and start making small, incremental changes to help.
“Being part of the ALICE@Work sessions really opened my eyes to what employees with limited resources are up against every day. I left with practical ideas I can bring back to my own workplace to make policies and practices more supportive. It was encouraging to connect with other employers who care about the same issues and to realize that even small changes can make a big difference for ALICE families.” ~ALICE@Work participant
This program is a sweet spot for United Way. We already work with so many supportive businesses in Whatcom County every year, and we see firsthand how deeply they care about building stronger families and communities. Now we have an exciting new way to collaborate with companies and directly help the many ALICE workers and families who are struggling to make ends meet.
We’re very excited to grow this program and offer additional ALICE@Work sessions for Whatcom County employers. For more information or to get on a waiting list for the next cohort, visit our website or reach out to hello@unitedwaywhatcom.org.
United is the Way we change lives and communities for the better.
Thank you to the wonderful and dedicated employers who joined us for our first ALICE@Work cohort!
*Note: Because it takes a while to pull together the very comprehensive ALICE report each year, the 2025 report is based on 2023 data sources. The Federal Poverty Levels you see listed above reflect 2023 amounts for consistency. The 2025 Federal Poverty Levels are as follows: Individual: $15,650 Family of Four: $32,150.