HONOLULU (KHON2) — A new Aloha United Way (AUW) report shows alarming trends about the dire financial status many families in Hawaii face. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Asset limited, income constrained, Employed (ALICE) is what describes 29% of households who earn just enough to get by but not sustainably. More than half a million people in the state are one disaster away from the financial crisis. The ALICE report hopes to pave the way forward in helping families not just survive, but thrive in Hawaii. Federal officials join HFD in McCully house fire investigation 2024 ALICE ReportDownload "This refers to those who make just enough money to not receive government assistance, but not quite enough to cover the bare necessities, in essence, living paycheck to paycheck," stated Emmaly Calibraro, AUW Vice President. The survivability budget determines the minimum cost of household necessities such as housing, food, childcare, healthcare and transportation. A single person would pay about $39,000 while a family of four would pay $107,000 – a cost many families are unable to meet. "The federal poverty line comes out to about $35,000 for a family of four," said Suzanne Skjold, AUW Chief Operating Officer. "That is the gap that we're talking about that's leaving a lot of families in trouble right now." The report shows 58% of families living under the ALICE threshold are native Hawaiians. AUW claimed, more people are leaving the state due to the high cost of living. In 2018, families in Maui County were spending 30% to 50% of their total income towards housing, per Hawaii Community Foundation's President & CEO, Micah Kane. "Unless we disrupt this system in a massive way, our future is very predictable," stated Kane. "We'll continue to see the outmigration of the people we care the most about." Food insecurity and inflation continue to be growing problems in Hawaii. "46% of families below the threshold are struggling to afford consistent access to food," said Skjold. "73% of families are saying that they've had to make changes since inflation has been increasing and almost half of our families of any income are saying that they have cut back on fresh food in the last two years." Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Organizations like AUW said it's not just looking for solutions, but transforming systems through an expanded network of 20 grant partners. "We have a lot in the works and we're collaborating with the state as well. There is that sense of urgency. It's always been expensive here, but this place is worth fighting for," stated Honolulu Mayor, Rick Blangiardi.