It costs about $5,000 a month to maintain a family of four in Bexar County. New findings published by the United Ways Of Texas identified about 500,000 local households in the "in-between," earning above the federal poverty standards but below the amount needed for basic living costs.
Supported by United Way in 17 states, the ALICE report measures financial insecurity for families across America. ALICE is an acronoym, referring to households that are asset-limited, income constrained, and employed.
These wage earners typically live in households that earn more than the Federal Poverty Level but not enough to pay for essentials like reliable health care, child care and transportation.
About 36 percent of Bexar County households fall into the "ALICE threshold." An additional 15 percent are below the poverty line – $24,300 a year for a family of four. Combined, that's 51 percent of San Antonio area households struggling to make ends meet.
When it comes to financial insecurity, how does how does Texas compare to the rest of the country? How can we change the conversation about poverty in America?
Guests:
- Adrianna Cuellar Rojas, president and CEO of United Ways of Texas
- Stephanie Hoopes, founder and director of the National ALICE Project
- Dr. Henrietta Munoz, senior vice president of grant research and evaluation for the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County
"The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. During the live show, call 210-614-8980, email thesource@tpr.org or tweet at @TPRSource.
This interview aired on Wednesday, February 20, 2019.
