Floridians have already been feeling the financial strain of living in the Sunshine State, but now their children are starting to feel it too.
New research suggests that the number of children living in economically strained households in Florida is much higher than reported by the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), the standard income measurement tool that determines eligibility for federal benefits ranging from housing and food to child care and transportation. As Floridians continue to struggle with an affordable housing crisis and increasing cost of living, having families and children in need of assistance go unaccounted for means risking the health of over 1.6 million children.
“Undercounting the number of children who are at risk can have lifelong consequences,” said Kathleen Cannon, President/CEO of United Way of Broward County. “Thousands of children are locked out of receiving critical support for stable housing, food, and quality education, all of which can inhibit healthy child development.”
The report comes from United For ALICE, an organization focused on improving the lives of families who are Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed, and adds a new dimension to the FPL’s assessment that 17% of children in Florida live in poverty. The research from ALICE shows that 56% of Florida children are living in financially insecure households, the third-highest rate in the nation.
The problem with the FPL is that it does not take into consideration working families above a certain threshold that still cannot afford the basic necessities. An alarming 1,650,858 children in Florida live below the ALICE threshold, with 61% living in rent-burdened households and 38% living in households ineligible for SNAP.
ALICE households are distinct from those in poverty as they earn more than the FPL, yet still struggle to afford the essentials of housing, food, child care, healthcare and transportation.
The FPL for a family of three is an income of $23,030, and any family that earns more than twice that amount does not qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). For housing, a household cannot earn more than 50% of the area median income to be eligible, which in Palm Beach County is $65,015, according to the most recent census data. So, a family of three that earns $48,000 qualifies for neither food nor housing assistance. For perspective, the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Palm Beach County is $1,578.
Per the report, minority children in Florida are far more likely to live in financially insecure households, with 73% of Black children and 66% of Hispanic children living below the ALICE threshold.
According to the ALICE research, “40% of Florida’s households below the ALICE Threshold reported in the fall of 2021 that their children ‘sometimes or often’ didn’t have enough to eat,” with food insecurity exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Due to the flawed metrics of the FPL, the importance of this research cannot be overstated. A staggering amount of Florida families are struggling to make ends meet, and the problem will only get worse as the cost of living continues to skyrocket. Making sure these families and children are properly counted can make a literal life-or-death difference.
To combat financial hardship, organizations like United Way work to provide local community resources to families and children in need of assistance.
To donate to your local United Way branch, click here.
To learn more about United for ALICE and read the report, click here.
