How You Can Help Local Families
Three Ideas for Giving Back
For some families on the South Plains, the COVID-19 outbreak has made it even harder to take care of basic needs. 45% of households in Lubbock County lived paycheck to paycheck before this crisis and hovered just above poverty line.
Who are Struggling Families?
People in our community who are struggling are often individuals who work low wage jobs that keep their income level above the poverty line so they cannot qualify for government assistance, however, they are barely able to supoort their family. They do not have money in savings and are one emergency (like a global pandemic) away from having their lives turned upside down.
There's a good chance you have a friend, acquaintance or neighbor that might be struggling and not even know it. They are hard-working individuals who don't ask for help, sometimes because they don't even realize that they need it.
How You Can Help
Families like the ones described above are often those who have been laid off, experienced wage cuts or who are still working but unable to do so remotely since the outbreak. Despite economic relief from government, their financial outlook remains challenging.
Here's how you can help them:
Check-in with your neighbors - Being a good neighbor in these troubling times can go along way. Do so while keeping yourself safe by talking through a window or leaving items outside someone's door.
Donate food, cleaning products and other essential supplies - Families struggling to get by depend on local food pantries and that need has increased recently. If you can spare some food, there are many places in Lubbock that except food and supply donations.
Give to United Way - Together with our Community Partners, we provide support to families like these who are living on the edge. Now more than ever these programs provide vital support to people in our community that improves their health, education and financial stability. With the help of generous supporters like you, we can meet the growing demand for these services and give people in our community the help they need.
Put yourself in the shoes of a typical ALICE family. Click here to access the Making Tough Choices Simulator
Want to learn more about ALICE on the South Plains? Check out our most recent Community Status Report