In the Quad Cities, 37% of families are unable to afford cost of living expenses, according to the updated United Way ALICE Report. This number is an increase over the 33% of ALICE families in the Quad Cities reported in 2016.

The Quad Citizens designated as “ALICE” (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) are individuals who work at low-paying jobs, have little or no savings, and are one emergency away from falling into poverty. ALICE are those individuals who are working and earning, but are still not able to afford a basic needs budget in the county in which they live. These...