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How We Help

ALICE defines the struggles of households that earn above the Federal Poverty Level, but not enough to afford a bare-bones household budget. ALICE - a United Way acronym which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed - represents the growing number of individuals and families who work every day but are unable to afford to meet their basic needs. The ALICE Report is the most comprehensive depiction of need in Tennessee to date. 

Two pillars of the ALICE measures are household costs and income. The Household Survival Budget calculates the cost of household essentials for each county in Tennessee and relies on a wide range of sources for the budget items of housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and a smartphone plan, plus taxes. For household income, the ALICE measures rely on the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). Household costs are compared to household income to determine if households are below the ALICE Threshold. This includes both households in Poverty, with income below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), and those that are ALICE.

Through the ALICE Report, we are igniting a movement where nonprofits, corporations, and policymakers Unite to better understand and address the problems faced by West Tennesseans. 

Retrieve county-specific ALICE data here.


United Way and the Tennessee Commission on Children & Youth would like to thank those who attended the #ALICE Conference last week. We enjoyed learning more about this community with others. To ensure we continue the conversation, click the links below to access resources that we shared during the conference. Together, we can better serve those who are ALICE in our region and state.

Presentation Slide Decks

Engagement Toolkit

TCCY Kids Count Data Book

ALICE@Work

Our Impact This Year

  • Agency Partners

    44

  • Programs Funded

    54

  • 2022-2023 Funds Secured

    $3,735,845

  • People Helped

    85,567

© 2024 United Way of West Tennessee

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