Here are some of the challenges we all face in improving our community:
 

• 37% of Otsego households (about 3700) are ALICE households: ALICE = Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed households living with insufficient monthly income to pay for the basics of life – food, shelter, childcare, healthcare, technology (phone/internet) transportation and taxes. Click here to read the full ALICE Report.
   

• At least 50% of all students in our county-wide public schools qualify for the subsidized lunch programs. Many students also participate in the “backpack” program through the Otsego County Food Pantry which provides food for children when they are away from school meals.
   

• Otsego struggles to draw higher paying jobs to our area so workers have jobs paying too little per hour and often, those jobs are also part-time providing no benefits, including paid vacations. Often workers have more than one job.
   

• Otsego County lacks a sufficient number of low-income or affordable housing units. Even “affordable” units are often out of reach of the ALICE population.
   

• Both parents are unable to work due to the lack of affordable, available childcare.
   

• A household must have a household total of $30 per hour/40-hour week to meet the minimum survival budget for a family of four.