Commentary by Mollie Palmer, VP of Communication and Engagement | Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 6/9/2026
You might know an Alice or two, or many. It's a popular name, but the reality is Alice isn't just one person, at least not in Arkansas. Nearly a million residents, approximately 31 percent of our state's population, can be called ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
If you haven't met ALICE, allow me to introduce you. You may be familiar with the Federal Poverty Line (FPL), a measure of income used to determine an individual or family's eligibility for various state and federal assistance, such as ARHome. In 2025, a household of four's annual income cannot exceed $32,150 to qualify for many of these programs.
Today, it's not just households living at or below the FPL who struggle to make ends meet, especially with inflation and steadily rising costs. A family of four making $32,500 annually, an income just above the maximum FPL threshold, also has an incredibly tight budget. That's what ALICE in Arkansas looks like--individuals and households who earn too much to qualify for public assistance but still cannot cover basic expenses like rent, child care, food, transportation and health-care services.
ALICE plays essential roles within our community and workplaces as administrative assistants, early education workers, home health aides, store clerks, restaurant servers and more. Yet these individuals are often the most financially vulnerable.
In Arkansas, where the minimum wage is $11 per hour, a full-time employee will earn roughly $22,880 annually. At this income tier, households are forced to live paycheck to paycheck and make difficult decisions. They may ask themselves, "Should I pay rent or buy food?" or "Should I cover this month's utility bills or put gas in the car so I can get to work?" With more than 45 percent of Pulaski County residents living below the ALICE threshold, these questions are a daily occurrence for many of our neighbors.
Now that you've met ALICE, you should also know there is a growing community here in Arkansas dedicated to supporting these individuals and households in gaining financial freedom and peace of mind. Heart of Arkansas United Way (HAUW) is committed to investing in ALICE through four focus areas: improving health and well-being, providing youth opportunity, building financial security, and fostering community resiliency.
Alongside public and private partners, we've also invited companies to join us in helping drive change for ALICE in Arkansas. Through ALICE@Work, we encourage businesses to consider implementing new policies and procedures to ensure all workers can thrive. The process involves conducting a workforce assessment to uncover their unique challenges, then receiving expert-led education and hands-on training to develop individualized action plans that best align with their culture and values.
Why is ALICE at the heart of our work? Because ALICE is the heart of our community. At a time when nearly half of our state is working--often two or three jobs--and still coming up short, HAUW believes we must recommit to taking collective action to address the systems holding people back. With steady, strategic support, we can strengthen our state for everyone. Join us in supporting ALICE at heartaruw.org.