September
2018
COMMUNITY CONNECTION
New Connecticut United Ways ALICE Report 
A Message from Richard Porth          
President/CEO of United Way of Connecticut

The recently released 2018 Connecticut United Ways ALICE Report revealed that 40% of households in our state have income which falls below what is needed to pay for basic necessities such as housing, food, child care, health care, technology, and transportation.

ALICE, stands for - Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed . ALICE cares for our children and ag ing parents, fixes our cars and works in our local grocery stores, retail stores, and restaurants. ALICE is our friend, neighbor, co-worker, and family member. We lean on ALICE for support, yet many ALICE households are one emergency away from a financial crisis impacting their ability to feed their family, heat their home, maintain their housing, and ensure their medical care.

Connecticut United Ways are committed to shining a light on households that, despite working hard, live paycheck to paycheck and are unable to afford life's most basic necessities.

Visit alice.ctunitedway.org to download the 2018 ALICE Report and click below to download the ALICE Executive Summary, available in English and Spanish.
Can you walk in ALICE's shoes? Visit www.MakingToughChoices.org  to experience the financial challenges that ALICE households in Connecticut face every day.
  

Text to 9-1-1 is Available in Connecticut 

Text to 9-1-1 is now available in Connecticut. If you are in emergency situation and it is unsafe to speak or you have an injury or disability that prevents you from speaking, use your mobile phone to send a text message to 9-1-1.

How does text to 9-1-1 work?
  1. Enter the numbers 911 in the "To" field of your cellphone.
  2. Text the exact location of the emergency.
  3. Briefly describe what kind of help you need.
  4. Push the "Send" button.
  5. Respond to any questions. 
  6. Follow instructions.
  7. Don't text and drive. Pull over when it's safe. 
For more information, visit www.text911ct.org  or click the links below to download a program flyer or community awareness poster. 
Healthy Food Donation List

Food pantries strive to provide a variety of healthy food choices for the individuals they serve.Some Connecticut families rely on food pantries as a main source of food and many people have health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure that require special diets. 

When making generous donations to food pantries in your community, consider donating items off of the Healthy Food Donation List. This list is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and offers healthier options to donate that will meet the health needs of those who rely on food pantries. 

Food pantry clients often face choosing between food, medicine, and other expenses. Donating items off of the Health Food Donation List can help ensure that those who rely on food panties have access to healthy food. Click below to download the Healthy Food Donation list in English or Spanish.
The 2-1-1 Connecticut database of health and human services resources contains almost 400 food pantries. Visit www.211ct.org and search " Food Pantries" to locate a food pantry in your community. 

Did You Miss 2-1-1 Connecticut's Summer Webinar Series?

Over the summer, 2-1-1 Connecticut hosted a weekly webinar series. These 30 minute webinars were recorded and are now available on the 211ct.org Training Page. 

Click HERE to access the following webinar recordings

  • 2-1-1 and Clinical-Community Connections for Better Health
  • #GetConnected with United Way of Connecticut 2-1-1
  • Food Resources in Connecticut
  • Connecting to Substance Use Resources through 2-1-1
  • 2-1-1 Counts Online Data Dashboard
  • How you can help update the information on the 2-1-1 Database
  • Resources, Tools, and Supports for Older Adults 
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