ALICE Recovery Fund: Responding to COVID-19 crisis in New Jersey

United Way of Hunterdon County has teamed up with United Way of Northern New Jersey in the COVID-19 ALICE Recovery Fund to provide relief to as many Hunterdon County, N.J., households as possible. The state of emergency created by the coronavirus COVID-19 is exposing critical shortcomings in the economy, health care system and public education. The top prescription for combatting the spread of the virus — social distancing — demands working from home, keeping children out of school and limiting person-to-person contact. These actions, while necessary for fighting the virus, put a substantial segment of the working population at serious financial risk. These are workers who don’t have health insurance, are afraid to call out sick for fear of losing their job, and whose children receive daily meals at school.

This vulnerable population is called ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE households earn above the Federal Poverty Level, but not enough to afford household necessities. The ALICE Recovery Fund will direct funding to United Way of Northern New Jersey and United Way of Hunterdon County, as well as partner organizations, for use that will include direct relief to ALICE families in need, coordination of recovery efforts and volunteers, and costs related to building infrastructure needs and advocacy to address the long-term impact of this crisis. To donate, visit http://www.unitedwaynnj.org/give/sf_alicerecoveryfund.php.