Tue Sep 10 16:21:59 UTC 2024: ## Bemidji United Way Highlights Growing Number of “ALICE” Households in Beltrami County
**BEMIDJI, MN -** The United Way of Bemidji Area is drawing attention to the increasing number of families in the community who are struggling to make ends meet despite being employed. These families, known as ALICE households (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), fall just above the poverty line, making them vulnerable to financial crises.
A new report, “ALICE in Minnesota: A Study of Financial Hardship,” released by United Ways of Minnesota and United For ALICE, reveals that the number of struggling households in Minnesota has continued to grow despite wage increases. The report highlights the mismatch between wage growth and inflation, with the number of households living paycheck to paycheck in Minnesota increasing to 36% (834,343 households) in 2022.
Beltrami County mirrors this trend, with 28% of households classified as ALICE in 2022, compared to the state average of 26%. This means that 42% of Beltrami County households are below the ALICE threshold, a higher percentage than the state average.
“These are the people we’re talking about in every community issue meeting,” said Denae Alamano, Executive Director of the Bemidji United Way. “They’re the people who need transportation to work and their cars aren’t working, or they want to qualify for daycare but they live just above the threshold where they could get help with daycare costs.”
The report reveals that the basic costs of living and working in Minnesota for a family of four rose from $63,444 in 2021 to $77,304 in 2022. This increase, combined with the loss of federal child tax credits and stimulus payments, has significantly impacted many families.
The United Way is taking steps to address the issue by offering programs like “Wheels to Work,” which helps families repair vehicles necessary for transportation. They are also collaborating with local entities to create additional support programs.
“It’s exciting to have this data because now we know the county has a couple of car repair programs. So we know their threshold, what an income needs to look like. And now we can fill that gap,” Alamano explained.
The United Way is encouraging community members to access the findings of the report and understand the challenges faced by ALICE families. The organization plans to focus its efforts on supporting these families, who are often overlooked despite being vital contributors to the local economy.
“We’ll be asking (nonprofits) if they’re serving ALICE families and how they’re doing that,” Alamano said. “We want to put a focus on ALICE with the dollars that we receive here.”
The full ALICE data report is available at unitedforalice.org/state-overview/Minnesota.
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