Christina in Enfield wants a better future for her family
Vacations, small joys, and hope can’t just be reserved for Connecticut’s wealthy. Working class people are left fighting for scraps. That’s not good enough. We need to come together to demand better.
It used to be that if you worked hard, you could afford to keep a roof over your head, put food on your table, and have enough left over to have fun. Instead, hardworking people in Connecticut have to worry about whether going to the movie theater, grabbing a coffee at their favorite shop, or taking a day trip will bust their budget.
“We can barely afford our bills,” Christina, in Enfield, told us. “This year (and the last five years) my mom got me heating oil for Christmas and our in-laws paid our water bill.”
Hundreds of families have shared their stories with us about struggling to make ends meet. Many, like Christina, have cut out fun and joy in order to pay for rent or a mortgage, their utility bills, and food.
“As a child in a middle class family, I remember going on vacations yearly with my parents,” she told us, adding that she’s never been on vacation with her kids. “We need every penny we make to be able to barely afford our bills and to eat.”
More families are struggling each year. The ALICE report from The United Way shows more households falling into poverty. And many people aren’t hopeful that things will get better.
The goal shouldn’t be to simply get by – especially when hard work no longer means you’ll be financially stable. People are working themselves into the ground simply to be able to pay for the essentials.
Connecticut needs change. Be a part of the movement that makes it happen. Join us in the fight for a more affordable Connecticut by signing up for our email list and learning more about your community action team. Together, we can make Connecticut work for working class people.
