Since the pandemic, lots of our residents lost jobs and are now on fixed incomes or had to take a lower-wage job to make ends meet. MCDBEC is here to not only help the low-income resident but the working poor as well.
We all know people who have jobs but still can’t make the rent or other basic needs, we call those people ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE are people who educate our children, keep us healthy, and make our quality of life possible, yet do not earn enough to support their own families. ALICE households are forced to make tough choices, such as deciding between quality child care or paying the rent, which have long-term consequences not only for ALICE, but for Essex County residents.
The amount of men raising their children without a mother has grown over the years. Because they have stepped into that role they are no longer a part of the workforce because raising little ones is a fulltime job on its own. I have a father from East Orange who felt embarrassed to get help from the diaper bank he said ” I didn’t think it would be this hard to be with my child 24/7 after my kids mother died from Covid.
Know your financial status and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Visit the United Way, Alice Project and read all about it.