PUEBLO — A new report from United Way of Colorado shows nearly half of the families in Pueblo are not making enough money to pay for housing, food and other daily necessities, even though they have jobs.
“Times are challenging and difficult for people, even those who have a job,” said Tanya Simental, Director of Impact for United Way of Pueblo County.
She said many families in Pueblo are undergoing financial hardships.
“There's a lot of people here struggling to make ends meet,” said Simental.
A study from United Way of Colorado found 37% of Colorado households statewide are not earning enough to get by.
The study shows the number of households in Pueblo is higher than the state average. Out of 67,840 households in Pueblo, 47% are what they call ‘income restrained,’ which means having an income that is not enough to cover basic costs of living.
Why 47%? Simental says it's partially due to the economy.
“I think it stands to reason that our economy has presented some challenges. And this data comes out of the 2022 census information, and we know that probably that number is even higher because a lot has changed in our economy since 2022,” said Simental.
United Way refers to people who fit in this category as Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed (individuals) (ALICE). These families have income above the federal poverty level but struggle to afford household basics.
“It's our baristas at the local coffee shop. It's a health technician, it's our teachers, it's the people working in the healthcare system really providing critical care, critical services to our communities,” said Simental.
Chris Segura with United Way said wages and cost of living also plays a role.
“When you think about the cost of living and where the minimum wage is sat, also, you know, that's a testament there. There is a huge wage gap in that particular population, which I think affects those families, especially single income families,” said Segura . “We have some volunteers here who travel from other states, and our grocery prices, in some ways, almost double from the state that they came from, just in Pueblo County themselves."
Simental said the cost of childcare is another factor.
“Well, like we're talking about the cost of living, the cost of groceries and the cost of housing continues to go up, but also, we need to look at the cost of childcare. That's another indicator that is used in the ALICE data, and we know that childcare really puts a strain on a lot of budgets,” said Simental.
She said the data from the ALICE report will help them identify areas where united way and other non-profits can provide additional assistance, in hope of helping more people get the necessities they need.
“It really confirms the work that we’re doing and acknowledges the fact that our work is so important but it will inform moving forward that policies are programming decisions. I think it also underscores the importance of nonprofit work in our community because it’s really the nonprofits who are serving ALICE,” Simental said.
Simental said she hopes this will push nonprofits to collaborate and work together more often.
We really hope that it serves as a conversation for elected officials and others developing policies and decision-making in our communities to really see what it looks like to be ALICE...,” said Simental.
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