September
2020
COMMUNITY CONNECTION
2020 Connecticut ALICE Report
The recently released 2020 Connecticut United Ways ALICE Report revealed that, even before the COVID-19 Pandemic, 38% of households in our state had income 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 is the essential health care worker caring for our aging parents. ALICE is the teaching assistant who helped our children adapt to virtual learning. ALICE 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 2020 ALICE Report.

Can you walk in ALICE's shoes? Visit www.MakingToughChoices.org to experience the financial challenges that ALICE households in Connecticut face every day.
Are You Registered to Vote?

Every year, millions of eligible voters are unable to cast a ballot because of a missed registration deadline.

In Connecticut, registering to vote is easy and can be done online in just minutes. 

  • Register to vote in Connecticut
  • Change your name and/or address on your current registration record
  • Enroll in a political party or change party enrollment

Already registered to vote?

Click HERE to learn about how you can vote by absentee ballot. Due to the COVID-19 all voters are eligible to vote by absentee ballot in the general election held on November 3, 2020. Just check the COVID-19 box on the application.
Stay Healthy During Flu Season
In a recent press release the Department of Public Heath (DPH) announced the start of influenza vaccination clinics in Connecticut for the coming flu season. DPH strongly encourages all CT residents to make plans to get a flu vaccine before flu viruses begin spreading in your community.

Wearing a mask, cleaning your hands often and getting a flu shot early are key to protecting yourself, your family and your community from flu and COVID-19 in the coming months. 

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is the most important step in protecting against the flu. 

The Healthmap Vaccine Finder can help you find a list of locations administering the flu vaccine near you.

For more information on how to prevent the seasonal flu visit CDC's Influenza Page.
211 Economic Impact Payment Helpline
The 211 Economic Impact Payment Helpline has partnered with Code for America's GetYourRefund program to help close the digital divide that prevents individuals from getting their Economic Impact Payment (often called a stimulus payment).

Visit www.getyourrefund.org/211-stimulus or call the 211 Economic Impact Payment Helpline at 1-844-322-3639 to work with an IRS-certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) volunteer to prepare your Economic Impact Payment paperwork.

An estimated 5 million eligible Americans have not received their stimulus payment. Individuals who call the helpline for this service need only to text or email their photo ID to complete the process. Interpreters are available to provide assistance in over 120 languages.

Visit www.getyourrefund.org/211-stimulus or call 1-844-322-3639 to secure your stimulus payment.

The current deadline to access your Economic Impact Payment is October 15, 2020.
Complete the 2020 Census today! Click HERE.
Click HERE to learn more about the importance of the Census Data.
The mission of United Way of Connecticut is to help meet the needs of Connecticut and its residents by providing information, education and connection to services.
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