United Way of Northern New Jersey

United Way of Northern New Jersey is working hard to build a strong community — where workers earn enough to meet their needs, can build a personal safety net to weather a crisis, and have access to quality care for vulnerable family members.

We are striving for racial and financial equity for individuals and families in poverty and those living paycheck to paycheck, known as ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.

We do this by assessing the needs and rallying the community to address the barriers that are keeping struggling families from achieving financial and personal success. Because when one of us wins, we all win.

Mission

United Way mobilizes the caring power of communities to advance the common good.

We improve lives and community conditions by assessing needs, developing solutions, raising funds, convening partners, and mobilizing citizens to act.

Vision

We believe that improving life for all starts with improving life for ALICE.

ALICE is…

• An acronym: ALICE represents the growing number of families who are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. Despite working — oftentimes at more than one job — these households are unable to afford the basics of housing, food, child care, health care, technology, and transportation.
• A research project: Through a series of new, standardized measurements, ALICE provides data that quantifies the size of the workforce that is struggling financially, providing a broader picture of financial insecurity than traditional federal poverty guidelines portray.
• A real person: ALICE is the child care educator who prepares your child for the future, the home health aide who cares for your loved one, and the mechanic who fixes your car, ensuring you are safe out on the road. These essential workers are vital to the fabric of our society.

When ALICE suffers and is forced to make difficult choices, we all face serious consequences. United Way is fighting for ALICE – a population that is critical to the stability of our communities. We are looking beyond temporary fixes to find solutions that result in long-term, sustainable change for individuals and families.