(COLORADO) — A new report in Colorado highlights the increasing number of families that are struggling to make ends meet. The grassroots ALICE movement, which is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, seeks to reverse this trend and improve conditions for families living paycheck to paycheck. According to the United For ALICE website, "Both nationally and in each state, financial hardship is far more prevalent than traditional federal poverty guidelines suggest." Those included in the ALICE category are listed as earning above the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) but not enough to afford the basics in the communities where they live. The Inaugural ALICE Report for Colorado was released in 2024. ALICE in Colorado: A study of financial hardship "The Report presents an economic snapshot of ALICE households in 2022, showing how they fared during the pandemic and in the ongoing recovery," wrote Kate Nowak, Executive Director of United Way of the Yampa Valley. On Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 15, Colorado United Way and Ent Credit Union partnered to release the report in collaboration with United For ALICE at an event held in Colorado Springs. "These families—often the backbone of our communities, including teachers, nurses, police officers, and firefighters—struggle to afford basic necessities like housing, childcare, food and healthcare," wrote the press release. "The findings will be used to inform policies and programs aimed at supporting ALICE families statewide." According to the FPL, 9% of households in Colorado (219,937) were in poverty in 2022. However, according to the report, another 28% (649,252 households) were considered ALICE. "The reality is that out of the 2,357,045 households in Colorado, 869,189 — 37% — had income below the ALICE Threshold of Financial Survival in 2022," according to the report which included both households in poverty and ALICE households. United For ALICE said the root of the problem lies in people's earnings and the cost of basic needs. Courtesy: United For ALICE "In 2022, the cost of household basics (housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology), plus taxes, was $31,560 for a single adult and $88,740 for a family of four with two adults, an infant, and a preschooler — much higher than the FPL across all Colorado counties," noted the report. According to the ALICE data, the Survival Budget for a family of four was lowest at $65,088 per year in Baca County and highest at $120,984 per year in Broomfield County. County-by-county data can be found here. As for data beyond 2022, the report included a list of "significant challenges" that remain for Colorado, including sustained high levels of food insufficiency, limited savings and assets, and continued difficulty paying bills—just to name a few. "The way ALICE households currently navigate these obstacles will not be good enough going forward — we must do better," wrote Nowak. "We are working toward a future where ALICE households in Colorado can afford to save for an emergency, access health care, and give their children the tools they need for a successful life."