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For the first time since 2010, the poverty rate in America shot up dramatically<\/a> in 2022, according to data from the Census Bureau. That means more Americans can’t afford basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, and utilities than has been the case in more than a decade.<\/p>\n But the situation isn’t just affecting Americans living in poverty. United Way uses the term ALICE to refer to the increasing number of people who are asset-limited, income-constrained, and employed but are still not able to afford their basic needs. In 2021, 13% of Americans earned below the federal poverty level but many more, 29%, fell under the ALICE umbrella, according to the grassroots movement United for ALICE<\/a>.<\/p>\n A study published in August 2022 from Brandeis University found that more than 75% of low-income families working full-time cannot cover the cost of basic needs. What’s more, fewer than 1 in 5 low-income Hispanic and Black families in particular are able to afford the costs of a household budget. “Full-time work alone isn’t enough to cover the everyday essentials<\/a> most families need to support themselves,” the study’s lead author, Pamela Joshi, who holds a doctorate in social policy, said in a statement.<\/p>\n If you’re looking for ways to help, particularly as the temperatures drop and the holidays approach, consider cleaning out your closet and donating a coat to those in need. To help point you in the right direction, Stacker<\/a> compiled a list of coat drives near Allentown using data from One Warm Coat<\/a>, a nonprofit that provides free coats to children and adults in need across America. Since 1992, they’ve given out more than 7.85 million coats.<\/p>\n
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