MILLIONS OF AMERICANS. THE ECONOMY IS DOING WELL, BUT MANY PEOPLE SAY THAT’S NOT HOW IT FEELS. WE KNOW THAT THIS WAS A HUGE FACTOR IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN EXIT POLLS, MORE VOTERS SAID THEY’RE WORSE OFF FINANCIALLY NOW THAN THEY WERE FOUR YEARS AGO. THE MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO FELT THAT WAY, 8 IN 10, BACKED PRESIDENT ELECT DONALD TRUMP. IT’S HARD TO QUANTIFY THE ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS THAT PEOPLE FACE, BUT ONE MEASUREMENT IS GAINING ATTENTION. IT’S CALLED ALICE ASSET LIMITED. INCOME CONSTRAINED, EMPLOYED. SO BASICALLY, PEOPLE WHO HAVE JOBS BUT ARE FINDING IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET UNITED FOR ALICE WAS FOUNDED BY THE UNITED WAY OF NORTHERN NEW JERSEY TO BETTER TRACK AND RESEARCH. ALICE HOUSEHOLDS, IT FOUND A WHOPPING 42% OF U.S. HOUSEHOLDS WERE EITHER IN POVERTY OR QUALIFIED AS BELOW THE ALICE THRESHOLD. STEPHANIE HOOPES IS THE NATIONAL DIRECTOR FOR UNITED FOR ALICE. IT’S SO NICE TO HAVE YOU IN STUDIO. THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. CAN YOU EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN ALICE HOUSEHOLD? IT’S THOSE FOLKS WHO WORK IN JOBS THAT WE NEED TO KEEP OUR ECONOMY RUNNING. AND YET AREN’T EARNING ENOUGH TO COVER THOSE BASIC HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES. OUR BUDGET, WE CALL THE ALICE HOUSEHOLD SURVIVAL BUDGET INCLUDES JUST THE BARE MINIMUM OF HOUSING, CHILDCARE, FOOD, TRANSPORTATION, HEALTH CARE, SMARTPHONE AND ALICE PAYS TAXES. SO WE CALCULATE THAT FOR EVERY COUNTY IN THE COUNTRY AND FIND THAT IN EVERY COUNTY WE HAVE JOBS THAT AREN’T PAYING ENOUGH TO MEET THOSE BASIC EXPENSES. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CAUSES OF THIS FINANCIAL STRAIN ON THOSE ALICE WORKERS? ALICE IS SUPER FRUSTRATED THAT THEY’RE HEARING THAT INFLATION IS IS DOWN AND YET HIGH COSTS ARE STAYING HIGH. ALICE IS GETTING A WAGE INCREASE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME. BUT THE COST OF HOUSING, THE COST OF FOOD, CHILDCARE, HEALTH CARE IS INCREASING EVEN FASTER. A LOT OF THE FOLKS IN ALICE ACTUALLY MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS SOME OF THAT FEDERAL MONEY THAT YOU WOULD GET IF YOU WERE BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. SO HOW DO WE SEE THE IMPACT ON THESE? ALICE FAMILIES? HOW DOES IT SHOW ITSELF? SO MANY FOLKS WHO ARE STRUGGLING, NOT MAKING ENDS MEET DON’T QUALIFY FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE, FOOD ASSISTANCE, SOME OF THOSE BASIC PROGRAMS. SO WE OFTEN SEE THEM AT THE FOOD PANTRY AND PLACES WHERE THEY DON’T ASK YOUR INCOME ELIGIBILITY AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO LIVE FURTHER AWAY FROM YOUR JOB, OR YOU LIVE IN SUBSTANDARD HOUSING UNITS. CHOOSING BETWEEN FOOD ON THE TABLE OR MEDICINE FOR THEIR PARENTS, CHOOSING BETWEEN PAYING THE UTILITY BILL AND THEIR CAR INSURANCE. SO HOW DOES ALICE CORRELATE WITH THE THE POVERTY RATE? SO REALLY INTERESTING OVER THE LAST DECADE PLUS, WE SEE THE POVERTY LINE IS ACTUALLY PRETTY FLAT. AND YET THE NUMBER OF ALICE HOUSEHOLDS CONTINUES TO TICK UP. SO THAT’S THROUGH ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS. UPTURNS REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS. WHAT WE’RE CURRENTLY DOING IS NOT ENOUGH TO CHANGE THAT TRAJECTORY. AND ALICE WAS ARTICULATE DURING THE ELECTION. AND VOICED FRUSTRATION WITH THE CURRENT SYSTEM AND LOOKING FOR CHANGE. SO THOSE SOLUTIONS THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT, THE AWARENESS ALL NEEDS TO BE PUT INTO BIGGER ACTION. SO PART OF OUR GOAL AT UNITED FOR ALICE IS TO MAKE ALICE THE STANDARD MEASURE OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP. AND WE THINK IT COULD WORK VERY WELL IN NEXT TO THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. BUT PROVIDES A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE YOU SEE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOLUTIONS. SO, SO MANY CREATIVE THINGS ARE HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I’LL SHARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE EXAMPLES IN HAWAII, THE GOVERNOR HAS A PROGRAM WHERE ALICE HOUSEHOLDS CAN GET SOLAR PANELS, AND THAT REDUCES THEIR ENERGY BILL AND IS BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. WE SEE COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN DIFFERENT STATES MAKING SURE THAT THEIR PROGRAMS ARE ACCESSIBLE TO ALICE. THERE ARE LOWER COST AND THEY’RE MORE DIRECTLY LINKED TO HIGHER PAYING JOBS. ALICE, FAMILIES NEED CHILDCARE SO THE PARENTS CAN WORK, BUT MANY CHILDCARE PROVIDERS ARE ALICE SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A BETTER SYSTEM, MORE MONEY IN THERE. AND WE’VE SEEN SOME AMAZING FOUNDATIONS SUPPORTING BOTH THOSE WORKERS AND THE FAMILIES. I HOPE THOSE EXAMPLES HELP PEOPLE SEE THAT IT CAN COME FROM ALL DIFFERENT ANGLES. WE DON’T JUST NEED TO RELY ON ON OUR GOVERNMENT.