Caught in the middle: ALICE families grapple with food insecurity

Written in association with the Cleveland Daily Banner.

Alicia Conboy, 28, says she often has to carefully decide what she can afford to put in her shopping cart. Despite her husband's full-time job at a local factory, the Conboy family deals with making tough choices during their grocery store runs — a common struggle for many in the Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) group.

In today's economy, the rising cost of groceries and the pressure of managing a household budget have become daily challenges for Conboy, a mother of two.

According to the most recent data from the United Way of the Ocoee Region, there are 18,741 Iocal households living at or below the ALICE threshold, which is the "average income a household needs to afford basic living expenses." Of those, 13,006 are at the ALICE level, $27,696 yearly for a single adult and $79,332 yearly for a family consisting of two adults and two children, and 5,735 are at the poverty level.

According to the United Way, "between 2021 and 2022, the number of households in poverty in Tennessee decreased by 4,982, while the number of ALICE households increased by 34,214.”

Furthermore, in 2022, of the nearly 2.9 million households in Tennessee, the United Way determined that more than 1.2 million were below the ALICE threshold.

Like many families in or surrounding ALICE — those who earn above the federal poverty level but still struggle to cover basic needs - the Conboys have found themselves relying on government assistance programs to get by.

"For SNAP, the threshold for income is pretty close to poverty level,” Conboy said. "But with WIC, I'm eligible for it because the constraints are really forgiving.”

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides financial assistance for purchasing food to low-income individuals and families. According to the USDA, eligibility is based on household size, income and expenses, closely aligned with the federal poverty level.

Meanwhile, the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program is designed to assist pregnant women, new mothers and young children with nutritious food, health care referrals and nutrition education. Its income thresholds are more lenient, allowing families with slightly higher earnings to qualify.

While WIC helps ease some of the financial burden, it doesn't cover everything. Conboy's family still faces difficult decisions at the grocery store.

"It had just purchased this outright, this would be the only groceries we could buy," she said, pointing to a cart filled with essentials like baby food, fruit and cheese. The rising cost of food has forced many ALICE families like hers to carefully budget and prioritize their purchases. Conboy often finds herself juggling time and resources to make ends meet.

"The time constraint with the kids and then to go to different places — it's a lot to juggle,” she said. She shops strategically, getting staple items at Walmart and fresh produce and meat at Publix to stretch her budget as far as possible.

But it's not just about finding the best deals; her son's sensory issues also dictate some of her shopping choices.

"My son is very particular about what he can eat. So he likes the strawberries that are more expensive than the frozen ones,” she said. "We're not going to scrimp on that."

Conboy's frustration with the rising cost of groceries is also palpable.

"I tried to look at my old orders on my Walmart app, and some things were literally double or more than they were in 2020," she said. "It's weird though, considering wages haven't gone up.”

The economic pressures are compounded by the feeling of being misunderstood and judged.

*If you're on this program, you hear all the noise about how you're using people's taxpayer dollars. But my husband works in a factory and makes good money for this area," she said.

The stigma surrounding government assistance programs adds an emotional toll to an already challenging situation.

Conboy's husband works hard, yet the family still needs assistance. "My husband has the same job as the person on Facebook who's like, ‘You're using the government.’ But as long as I'm eligible for (WIC), I'm going to use it," Conboy said. The reality of many Cleveland families' situations means they must utilize every resource available to provide for their family.

Shopping for groceries has become more than just a routine errand; for Conboy, it's a moment of personal time amid the chaos as a stay-at-home mother of two sons under 5 years old. “Going to the store is my me-time,” she said.

Conboy also shared her frustrations with the limitations of WIC, especially regarding the parameters on what can be purchased.

"You are able to buy organic baby food, but almost nothing else organic," she added. This limitation can make it harder for families to make healthier choices within the program's constraints.

WIC also provides some protein options, but virtually no meat. This further restricts dietary choices, Conboy said.

Conboy's experience highlights the disconnect between policymakers and the everyday realities of constituents. "They literally do not grocery shop for themselves, so they wouldn't now how much [groceries] cost," she said.

This sentiment is echoed by many who feel that their voices are not being heard by those in power.

"It's sickening listening to government officials say that the economy is great and better than it's ever been. Go to a store. You're serving these people and you don't even know how much milk costs," she said.

The struggle of ALICE families is a stark reminder that employment does not necessarily equate to financial security. “My husband is working 40 hours a week at a decent-paying job and it's like, why do we have to move money around to buy our child a toy?" Conboy asked. The financial tightrope walk is exhausting, but she remains vocal on social media about the challenges her family faces.

“I feel like sometimes I'm just screaming into the void, but I'm really not because people will comment or respond to it," she said. Her determination to speak out underscores the importance of addressing food insecurity and the broader economic issues affecting ALICE families.

(Editor's Note: This is the second installment of the Cleveland Daily Banner's multi-part series examining how household budgets are straining under rising housing, childcare, transportation and healthcare costs. In this article, hear from a mother of two whose family must utilize government assistance, even though her husband has a full-time job at a local manufacturer.)