ALICE Summit

 

ALICE Summit 2025 is on March 5

 

Thank You for Joining Us

ALICE Summit: Legislative Call to Action | March 5, 2025

Thank you to everyone who joined United Way of Thurston County at the ALICE Summit: Legislative Call to Action at South Puget Sound Community College (Lacey Campus). We’re grateful to the community leaders, businesses, and residents who showed up ready to learn, collaborate, and take action on two of Thurston County’s most urgent challenges: housing affordability and childcare accessibility.

Together, we centered the experiences of ALICE households—people who are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed—working individuals and families who earn above the federal poverty level but still struggle to afford basics like housing, childcare, food, and transportation.

Thank You to Our Presenting Sponsor

A special thank you to Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council, our presenting sponsor, for welcoming attendees and helping make this solutions-focused summit possible.

Gratitude to Our Moderator, Speakers, and Panelists

We’re especially thankful to Dusti Demarest, Executive Editor of The Olympian, for guiding meaningful conversation across both panels.

Housing & Economy Panel

  • Michael Cade, Executive Director, Thurston County Economic Development Council

  • Gene Angel, Director of Research and Evaluation, Thurston County EDC

  • Jessie Simmons, Director of Government Affairs, Olympia Master Builders

  • Jennifer Lane, Federal Housing Program Manager, Multi-family Housing Unit, WA State Department of Commerce

  • Tye Menser, Chair, Thurston County Board of County Commissioners

  • Ann Campbell, Managing Director, Homeownership, WA State Department of Commerce

Featured Speaker

  • Kristin Wiggins, Washington Project Director, Mission: Readiness and ReadyNation, Council For a Strong America

Childcare & Early Education Panel

  • April Messenger, Policy and Advocacy Manager, Child Care Action Council

  • Emily Gourlie, Working Parent

  • Lorie Thompson, Director, Capital STEM Alliance at ESD 113

  • Sergio Garcia, South Sound YMCA

Thank You to Our Community Participants

Thank you to everyone who leaned into the table discussions and shared real-world perspective, challenges, and ideas. Your engagement helped move the summit beyond information—and toward action.

Calls to Action

This summit reinforced a shared truth: when ALICE families are stable, our entire community is stronger. We encourage attendees and community members to keep the momentum going:

  • Stay engaged with local and state policy conversations on housing and childcare

  • Share ALICE insights within your workplace, networks, and civic groups

  • Advocate for solutions that increase stability for working families in Thurston County

Event Highlights

  • Coffee & networking with support from RevMo Coffee Cart

  • Data-informed ALICE overview with local and state insights

  • Two panels focused on housing/economy and childcare/early education

  • Community table discussions and report-outs

  • A closing legislative update and calls to action

Contact

For questions or follow-up, please contact:

Chris Wells

cwells@unitedway-thurston.org | 360.943.2773