KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The United Way has released data that indicates that about 43% of people who have disabilities in the six counties represented by the South Central Michigan office of the nonprofit organization live below a line called the ALICE threshold.
The ALICE threshold, or Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, includes those not only at or below the poverty line, but also those who may be above the poverty line but still with issues in trying to make ends meet.
Of the six counties measured, the highest number of those under the ALICE threshold live in Jackson County, at 54%, while the data showed that Kalamazoo County’s rate was at 50%.
Statewide, the report showed that minorities registered much higher numbers than whites, and the percentage of women with disabilities was higher than that of men.
In a release sent out Wednesday, Alyssa Stewart, Chief Impact Officer for United Way of South Central Michigan (UWSCMI), said “the report found that, of 137,868 people with disabilities who live in UWSCMI’s region, 43% (59,704) are below the ALICE Threshold, with 32,761 considered ALICE and 26,943 below the Federal Poverty Level.”
As a result of the report’s findings, the United Ways in Michigan will be kicking off the “21-Day Disability Equity Challenge” on Monday, August 1, to help raise awareness of the disparities borne out in the report.
More information is available at: https://unitedforscmi.org/take-the-21-day-disability-equity-challenge/
Reporting by: Jim McKinney
