For many families, summer is a season of long weekends, vacations, barbecues, and fun. But for low-income households - especially those with children and all the more for those headed by single mothers - it often brings a series of mounting challenges.

In neighborhoods where economic hardships often dominate daily life, one powerful yet underappreciated force has the potential to spark resilience, improve health, and promote upward mobility: social cohesion. Defined as the strength of relationships and the sense of solidarity among members of a community, social cohesion and neighborly connectedness play a crucial role in the well-being of individuals, especially in low-income communities where resources are limit

New Research zeroes in on households living paycheck to paycheck, yet often with income that's too high for assistance

York, PA - In 2023, 29% of workers in Pennsylvania's 20 most common jobs lived in households that couldn't afford basics, according to new data from United Way of York County and its research partner United For ALICE. These workers - the backbone of every community - include personal care aides, janitors, cashiers, and waiters and waitresses.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to pause and reflect on the many factors that shape our well-being.

For many low-income families, access to high-quality early childhood education remains a significant challenge due to financial constraints. However, research consistently shows that affordable early learning and preschool programs provide substantial benefits for children, families, and society as a whole. By investing in early childhood education, we can help bridge achievement gaps, promote economic mobility, and strengthen communities.

When March rolls around, Women's History Month is celebrated as a time to honor women's achievements throughout history, particularly in the face of adversity. However, one critical area of that adversity that often flies under the radar is the ongoing struggle against women's financial inequality.

United Way of York County is on a mission to assist working households in our community on their journey to financial stability by collaboratively and equitably reducing barriers to prosperity. In 2024, we took significant steps to ensure our work was meeting the needs of the community by hosting a series of focus groups with individuals who fall into the gap between poverty and stability. This group, identified as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), represents 25% of York County.

Tax season is hardly any American's favorite time of year. For households that are asset limited, income constrained, employed (ALICE), however, navigating the complexities of tax preparation can add significantly to other seasonal stressors.