FOOD INSECURITY
Food insecurity is an official term from the USDA. Food insecurity means not having enough nutritious food. For some it may mean not knowing where your next meal will come from and for others it may mean not being able to afford food of adequate quality. It may surprise you that 1 in 3 households in Westchester County are at risk of food insecurity. Food insecurity arises when money is limited and must cover the cost of many expenses such as rent, utilities, transportation, and other basic needs. We invite you to learn more through the information and links below.
Poverty in Westchester County
91,155 (9.2%) of 990,817 people in Westchester live in poverty
11% of people living in poverty in Westchester are children
9% of people living in poverty in Westchester are seniors
ALICE
In Westchester and Putnam counties, 4-out-of-10 households are living paycheck-to-paycheck or in poverty. They are considered the ALICE population. ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed – households that earn more than the Federal Poverty Level, but less than the basic cost of living for the county (the ALICE Threshold). Combined, the number of ALICE and poverty-level households equals the total population struggling to afford basic needs.
The number of households below the ALICE Threshold changes over time; households move in and out of poverty and ALICE status as their circumstances improve or worsen. Conditions have improved for some families, but with rising costs, many still find themselves struggling.
We all know people who are ALICE: your relative, friend, colleague, or neighbor, or you yourself. ALICE may also be your healthcare provider, teacher, retail clerk, sanitation worker, and others. ALICE workers are the backbone of our economy, with the pandemic making it crystal clear just how much we need them.