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WHO IS ALICE?

ASSET LIMITED

ALICE has no safety net for emergencies

INCOME CONSTRAINED

ALICE's income falls short of basic necessities

EMPLOYED

ALICE is working, but can't afford the cost of living

 

The United Way ALICE Report - Hawai'i
 

Aloha United Way commissioned ALICE: A STUDY OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP IN HAWAI‘I to help identify those across our state who are struggling to make ends meet, and to understand the enormity of this issue and the obstacles these families and individuals in our communities face. ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. In Hawai'i, there are 165,013 ALICE households (37 percent), while another 47,066 households (11 percent) live below the poverty level. In total, 48%* of Hawai'i households are ALICE and below.

*Click here to read the most recent press release which includes *NEW* National data released by the United Way ALICE Project.

Click here to read The United Way ALICE Report - Hawaii

Click here to watch a video on how the business community can get involved.

Click here to access updated slides.

Click here to read The Hawaii Business Magazine's Change Report on Community and Economy

Click here  to read The Hawaii Social Impact Project

Our ALICE population represents hardworking people we interact with every day, who have a job - or two or three - yet cannot afford basic necessities to remain stable and self-sufficient.

 

ALICE lives in every town and city across Hawai'i. ALICE exists in every ethnicity. They include child care providers, retail salespersons, waitstaff, cashiers, administrative assistants, janitors, housekeepers, landscapers, teaching assistants, mechanics, restaurant cooks and more. They are our friends, family, and people we rely on every day. It takes just one crisis – loss of employment for a short period, an unexpected health emergency or car repair, an increase in monthly rent – to put these families and individuals at even greater risk of long-term problems like chronic health issues or loss of housing.

Hawai'i Counties, 2015

County Total Households % ALICE & Poverty
Hawai'i 64,201 55%
Honolulu 307,703 46%
Kaua'i 21,862 43%
Maui 52,134 51%

Click here to read The ALICE by County - Hawai'i

"OUR FAMILY LIVES PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK..."

READ STORY

 

ARE YOU ALICE?

ALICE lives in every town and city across Hawai'i and exists in every ethnicity.  They include childcare providers, retail salesperson, waitstaff, cashiers, administrative assistants, janitors, housekeepers, landscapers, teaching assistants, mechanics, restaurant cooks and more. 

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WHAT DOES IT COST TO AFFORD THE BASIC NEEDS?

HOW COSTLY IS IT TO LIVE IN HAWAI'I?

The Household Survival Budget is the basis for the ALICE Threshold and quantifies the costs of the five basic essentials of housing, child care, food, transportation and health care.

  • The average annual Household Survival Budget for a four-person family living in Hawai'i is $72,336. This translates to an hourly wage of $36.17 for one parent or $18.09 per hour if both parents work.
  • The average annual Household Survival Budget for a single adult in Hawai'i is $28,128, which translates to an hourly wage of $14.06.
  • Housing represents a Hawai'i family’s greatest expense—an average of $1,362 per month for a two-bedroom apartment (Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development).

The bare-minimum Household Survival Budget does not allow for any savings, leaving a household vulnerable to unexpected expenses. Affording only a very modest living in each community, this budget is still significantly more than the adjusted 2015 Federal Poverty Level for Hawai‘i of $13,550 for a single adult and $27,890 for a family of four.* 

 

Poverty
47,066 Households

ALICE
165,013 Households

Above ALICE Threshold
233,821 Households

RESOURCES

Sponsors:

Funding for the United Way ALICE Report was made possible by Bank of Hawaii Foundation, Hawaii Community Foundation, Kamehameha Schools.

 

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