For many of us, some of our most vivid childhood memories are tied to simple things—shared meals, safe homes, routines that made us feel secure. But for far too many households today, that kind of stability is slipping further and further out of reach.
Every day, households, especially those led by single mothers, are being forced to make impossible decisions:
- Do I pay for child care this week so I can go to work, or skip it and risk losing my job?
- Can I afford groceries, or will we rely on snacks and stretch meals until next payday?
- Do I fill the prescription, or keep the lights on?
These aren’t rare, worst-case scenarios. These are everyday trade-offs for the 49% of households in Southeast Louisiana that are living below the ALICE Threshold, including 31% who are ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) and 18% who are living below the Federal Poverty Level.
Among the 40,435 single-female-headed households in the region, a staggering 76% lived below the ALICE Threshold, and half lived in poverty. For single-father households, 56% were ALICE, and 22% lived in poverty.
That should alarm us all.
ALICE families are working, often more than one job, but still don’t earn enough to cover life’s basics. And when your income doesn’t stretch far enough, every dollar becomes a choice, and every choice feels like a sacrifice: your health, your child’s future, your family’s long-term stability.
The result? Parents delay medical care. Kids miss out on enrichment activities. Families put off car repairs that could help them earn more or save more. It’s a cycle that punishes people for trying and keeps the next generation from getting ahead.
At United Way of Southeast Louisiana, we work every day to break that cycle. We invest in programs that help families build savings, access affordable childcare, navigate crises, and plan for the future. We prioritize policy solutions that reflect the real costs of living today, not decades-old poverty benchmarks that no longer serve our communities.
Because we believe no parent should have to choose between paying rent and feeding their kids. And no child should have their future shaped by what their family couldn’t afford this month.
Here’s the truth: if half of our households are struggling, the other half are in a position to help change that. And when ALICE thrives—when families can meet their needs, plan ahead, and dream bigger—we all thrive.
Start by exploring the data at UnitedWaySELA.org/ALICE and learn how you can help turn hard choices into better ones, for our families, our region, and our future.
Michael Williamson
President and CEO
United Way of Southeast Louisiana