The Lubbock Area United Way has been around for nearly 80 years, but lately its job has become less about community support and more about duct-taping nonprofits together while state and federal funding gets slashed to ribbons. President Amanda McAfee says nonprofits are raiding their “break glass in case of emergency” coffers—because, surprise, the emergency is now.
Childcare centers are turning families away, the food bank is canceling trucks, and programs meant to prevent people from falling through the cracks are being cut… so that more people can fall through the cracks. Meanwhile, the Farm Bill on the horizon promises to take another $300 billion from SNAP, because nothing screams “fiscal responsibility” like starving poor kids.
United Way is trying to be the grown-up in the room—advocating, lobbying, and begging lawmakers not to gut what’s left of the safety net. But in true West Texas fashion, nearly half of Lubbock households are what’s called ALICE: working, but too broke to afford basics. Those are the people keeping nonprofits afloat with donations. Think about that—people who can barely pay their own bills are the ones bailing water while the government argues over the size of the bucket.
In a city where “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” is gospel, maybe it’s time someone asked: what if folks can’t even afford the boots?
