DeLauro Hosts Discussion with CT United Way On Working Families

NEW HAVEN, CT—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) today met with the leadership of United Way organizations from across the Third Congressional District for a discussion on the ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) report and efforts being made to help working families. The discussion coincides with tomorrow’s anniversary of the Economic Opportunity Act, which launched the War on Poverty.

“When President Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act into law 51 years ago tomorrow, he said that its purpose was to ‘help our people find their footing for a long climb toward a better way of life.’ Today, we urgently need to re-discover that spirit of empathy and that concern for the common good. Because, unfortunately, working America is in crisis.

“It used to be that a job, coupled with the willingness to work hard, were the ticket to the middle class. Today, we have broken that promise. But United Way of Connecticut has shined a spotlight on the problem and now organizations across the state are developing strategies to help families. Hearing about their efforts today was inspiring and I will do everything possible to support them, and struggling Connecticut families.”

Last fall, Connecticut United Way released the first ALICE Report, which quantified the tenuous situation confronting many low-income working families. The report found that individuals and families are simply not making enough in wages to sustain themselves. According to the report: “across Connecticut, 35 percent of households struggle to afford the basic necessities of housing, child care, food, health care, and transportation.” Since then, each local organization has begun to develop strategies to assist these families based on the data, which was the focus of today’s discussion.

Participants in the conversation were: Jack Walsh, President/CEO of Valley United Way; Gary Johnson, President of Milford United Way; Kevin Wilhelm, President of Middlesex United Way; Lisa Shappy, Executive Director of United Way of Naugatuck & Beacon Falls; Diana Reilly, Associate Director of United Way of Meriden and Wallingford; Laoise King, Vice President of Education Initiatives at United Way of Greater New Haven; and Amy Casavina Hall, Vice President for Income and Health Initiatives at United Way of Greater New Haven.


###