IN OUR REGION, HALF OF HOUSEHOLDS STRUGGLE TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, United Way’s ALICE Report showed that 44 percent of Southeastern Michigan households were just one missed paycheck away from financial crisis.
Now, with unemployment claims at an all-time high, the impacts of the coronavirus have put these households — and many others — into a catastrophic situation where even the most basic necessities like steady income, housing and food are out of reach. And this impacts families in every city in our community, from Detroit and Pontiac to Birmingham and Plymouth.
If people can’t meet their basic needs, they’ll never be able to create stable households. That’s why United Way works to ensure families in our region have access to programs and services that help them meet their basic needs. With our partners, we help families get out of crisis — and stay out.
Our 2-1-1 helpline is the gateway to resources to help families meet their immediate needs like access to food and shelter, connections to financial coaching and job training, and help to avoid utility shutoff or eviction. It’s also the connection to programs that help families address the factors causing instability, like a lack of stable income or affordable quality child care.
