United Way Raises Record Amount For Loudoun's Working Poor Families

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA – A United Way fundraiser recently raised a record amount of money for Loudoun County’s working poor families, according to organizers.

The United Way of the National Capital Area’s recent Tee Up for Equity fundraiser raised a record $75,000 for Loudoun County ALICE families, organizers said in a release. The event, held Oct. 7 at Topgolf Loudoun, drew 120 golfers.

ALICE stands for asset-limited, income-constrained, employed and refers to the growing cohort of families that are working and earning incomes above the poverty level but which are still struggling to cover basic expenses like rent, food, children and health care. United Way notes that today’s climbing food and energy prices are only exacerbating the challenges of lower-income workers.

The United Way calculates Household Survival Budgets – the bare-minimum, county-specific costs of housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, a smartphone plan, plus taxes and a small contingency – to understand the true costs of living in different parts of the country. In Loudoun County, their survival budget for a family of four is $123,480. The federal poverty threshold for that family is $33,000. ALICE fundraisers are intended to help families attempting to survive in the gap between those figures.

Proceeds from the fundraiser were donated to Loudoun Education Foundation programs that distribute meal bags and stock school food pantries in dozens of Loudoun County Schools.

Tee Up for Equity was launched by Loudoun County resident and United Way National Capital Area board member Josh Etemadi, who grew up in a working-poor family, according to the release, and wanted to support his community. Organizers say the Tee Up for Equity fundraiser has raised $200,000 over six years.

United Way is an international network of nonprofit fundraising affiliations. United Way NCA welcomes community donations. Donations can be made here.