EMPLOYMENT | 2-7
of Health and Human Services (HHS) for 2019, the FPL for a family of one, two, three, and four, respectively, is $12,490, $16,910, $21,330, and $25,750.35 Table 2-4 shows the number of households in the cities selected for this research investigation—Bridgeport, Danbury, Hartford, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, and Waterbury—that are defined as ALICE and in poverty for 2016.
Above 25,000 households Bridgeport Danbury Hartford New Haven Norwalk Stamford Waterbury
Connecticut Cities, 2016 Total households 50,476 30,831 47,033 48,909 33,989 47,330 38,372
ALICE and poverty 72% 50% 70% 66% 39% 40% 64%
Based on the ALICE and poverty rates for these cities, Connecticut is in crisis. The rates suggest that a significant number of people living in these cities are struggling to survive—particularly those who reside in Bridgeport, Danbury, Hartford, New Haven, and Waterbury—and are experiencing rates of ALICE and poverty of 72 percent, 50 percent, 70 percent, 66 percent, and 64 percent, respectively. It is difficult to imagine that the circumstances of the people who face these realities are likely to improve without immediate, comprehensive, culturally competent, and sustained intervention.
2.6 An Uncertain Future of Work I was taught how to code in college. I didn’t know what [it] was at the time. I [do] basic coding now in my day job and I think there [are] so many jobs out there where there are STEM jobs. So, young black and brown women and men in those positions would be ideal, but they have to be available in these training programs. So, I think we need our kids to go in that area. We can shepherd them into any areas…I think one of the realities is a lot of my students are low-income, first generation. So, when you put those two things together and you say, ‘go off to college, wait four more years, and then start making money.’ I think like to be pragmatic, we are trying to prepare students for the world that exists and also a world that we haven’t even envisioned. – Millennials Focus Group Participant
35
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2019). U.S. federal poverty guidelines used to determine financial eligibility for certain federal programs. Retrieved from https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines
Table 2-4: Percentage of ALICE households and poverty in Connecticut, 2016. Source: ALICE: A Study of Financial Hardship in Connecticut.