ALICE report spotlights depth of poverty

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The annual United Way ALICE report continues to show St. Landry and Evangeline parishes, along with the state, mired in poverty and many households only a disaster away from economic turmoil.
Sixty percent of St.Landry Parish’s households are struggling and do not have an income to meet basic needs. In Evangeline Parish, it is 50 percent of households that live on the margin. And, in the state it is 46 percent.
ALICE, which stands for Assets Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, was released Thursday at the St. Landry-Evangeline United Way office in Opelousas.
‘We know how many families in each community are struggling,” Ginger LeCompte, United Way executive director, said.
The ALICE numbers cover households below the Federal poverty guidelines and adds those with incomes above the poverty level, but not making enough to cover basic needs.
ALICE households typically earn above the Federal poverty level of $11,670 for a single adult and $23,850 for a family of four.
In St. Landry Parish, the household survival budget, which includes housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, miscellaneous and taxes, is $15,120 for a single adult and $43,032 for a two adults, an infant and pre-schooler.
The hourly wage for a single adult would have to be $7.56 and $21.52 for the family of four.
In Evangeline Parish, the annual total for a single adult is $15,804 and for the family of four it is $43,032. The annual wage for the single adult would be $7.90 and for the family of four it would be $21.52.
The 2014 ALICE totals by locality in St. Landry Parish are:
Arnaudville, 422 households, 47 percent ALICE and poverty.
Cankton, 257 households, 37 percent ALICE and poverty.
Eunice, 3,965 households, 56 percent ALICE and poverty.
Grand Coteau, 364 households, 61 percent ALICE and poverty.
Krotz Springs, 445 households, 64 percent ALICE and poverty.
Lawtell, 498 households, 28 percent ALICE and poverty.
Leonville, 352 households, 61 percent ALICE and poverty.
Melville, 431 households, 76 percent ALICE and poverty.
Opelousas, 5,820 households, 64 percent ALICE and poverty.
Port Barre, 696 households, 60 percent ALICE and poverty.
Sunset, 1,186 households, 54 percent ALICE and poverty.
Washington, 288 households, 68 percent ALICE and poverty.
The 2014 ALICE totals by locality in Evangeline Parish are:
Basile, 581 households, 55 percent ALICE and poverty.
Chataignier, 169 households, 50 percent ALICE and poverty.
Mamou, 1,355 households, 66 percent ALICE and poverty.
Pine Prairie, 333 households, 48 percent ALICE and poverty.
Reddell, 285 households, 29 percent ALICE and poverty.
Turkey Creek, 125 households, 40 percent ALICE and poverty.
Ville Platte, 2,796 households, 68 percent ALICE and poverty.
The ALICE study includes 18 states.
The study is available at UnitedWayALICE.org.