Elkhart, IN - In Elkhart County, 32% of working households are struggling to afford their basic needs, new ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed) data shows.
Statewide, 38% of households – over 1 million households – can't make ends meet.
Crossroads United Way will convene regional community leaders on Thursday, June 11, at its Elkhart office explore the critical role of literacy (functional, digital, financial) in advancing long-term financial security for local households.
The conversation will feature guest speaker, Matthew Sisk, RPA, Ph.D from University of Notre Dame and Lucy Family Institute for Data and Society to highlight newly released ALICE data, which shows a growing number of households are struggling to make ends meet despite being employed.
“As families struggle to live paycheck to paycheck, we at Crossroads United Way need to provide tools to assist them with a hand up, not just a hand out”, says Bill Purcell, President/CEO of Crossroads United Way.
The latest State of ALICE report for Indiana includes data from the ALICE Essentials Index, which tracks the rising costs of only six basics families need to live and work: housing, child care, food, transportation, health care and technology. Between 2007 and 2024, the ALICE Essentials Index for Indiana increased more than 61%, compared with 52% for the broader Consumer Price Index (CPI), which reports inflation across more than 200 categories of goods and services.
About Crossroads United Way: Crossroads United Way serves Elkhart, LaGrange, Noble and Steuben Counties, to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of our community. This includes advancing awareness of ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households. For more information, please contact Jill Yoder at yoderj@crossroadsuw.org or (574) 295-1650.