Eco-Friendly Design
United Way of Hunterdon County has received a grant of $100,000 from Hunterdon County, according to a press release from the Hunterdon County Board of Commissioners.
​
The funds came from money received by Hunterdon County under the American Rescue Plan and will be used to support the Thriving Communities program, aimed at ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed (or retired) residents.
​
“Twenty-two percent of Hunterdon County households are ALICE and an additional 4% are below the federal poverty line,” said United Way of Hunterdon County CEO Brenda Esler. “Black and Hispanic/Latino households are disproportionately affected, and face disparities in health, education and income.
​
“Thriving Communities outreach provides health education and access to preventive measures including vaccinations, PPE, COVID test kits, and social service navigation and referrals addressing needs such as housing, food insecurity and transportation.
​
Funding for the program ended in April because New Jersey stopped receiving a federal grant that supported it.
The grant will allow the United Way “to continue this important Thriving Communities public health outreach for vulnerable, underserved individuals and families of Hunterdon County,” Esler said.
​
“As a board, we appreciate all the good things that United Way does for our residents and the community,” Hunterdon County Commissioner Jeff Kuhl said.
​
According to Esler, a 2022 Latino Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey revealed that in Hunterdon County:
-
75.1% of respondents lack health insurance, compared to the county average of 5.1%
-
45.8% reported being food insecure as compared to the county rate of 5.5%
-
and 33.2% reported that within the last year, they did not see a doctor when they were sick, due to cost