JEA Employees, Community Partners Gain Greater Empathy for Struggling Customers Through ‘Meet ALICE’

2026-04-29

JACKSONVILLE, FL (April 29, 2026) – To foster a deeper understanding of customers facing financial challenges, more than 90 JEA employees and community partners participated in an exercise highlighting the realities of living with limited financial resources this morning.

United Way of Northeast Florida led a Meet ALICE Experience at JEA, offering insight into the challenges working families face as they navigate constant financial pressures. ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, represents members of the community who are employed yet struggle to afford basic necessities.

“Experiences like Meet ALICE help bring our customers’ realities into sharper focus,” said JEA Chief Customer Experience Officer Dr. Charles Moreland. “When we better understand the difficult tradeoffs many families face, we’re better equipped to deliver reliable, affordable services with empathy and purpose. That perspective strengthens how we support the communities we serve.

Participants took part in a hands-on, interactive simulation designed to mirror the financial realities of ALICE households. Working in small groups, employees assumed the roles of families navigating a typical month - making decisions about housing, childcare, transportation, food, and utilities while responding to unexpected challenges. The exercise highlights how quickly limited resources can be stretched and underscores the difficult tradeoffs many working families face, even when they are employed.

“This exercise really put into perspective how difficult it can be for families to balance essential needs on a tight budget,” said Eric Atkinson, JEA Talent Acquisition Services, who participated in the event. “It reinforced for me how important it is that we communicate clearly, provide support and continue delivering the services our customers depend on.”

In Northeast Florida, nearly 40 percent of households face financial hardship, which includes the ALICE population and households living in poverty. This underscores JEA’s commitment to providing support programs—such as usage alerts, payment assistance, and energy-saving tools—to help customers better manage their bills

United Way of Northeast Florida offers Meet ALICE Experiences all year for groups of every size. If you are interested in hosting or participating in a Meet ALICE Experience, please contact United Way’s Volunteer and Community Engagement team by emailing volunteer@uwnefl.org.

Multimedia: B-roll video

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About JEA

JEA is a municipal utility providing safe, reliable and affordable services to more than one million residents across four Northeast Florida counties. JEA is not owned by investors and does not earn a profit. It was created by the City of Jacksonville to meet the electricity and water needs of those who live in Jacksonville and surrounding communities. JEA’s 2,300-plus workforce is dedicated to meeting customer needs, both today and for generations to come, while protecting our precious natural resources and supporting our region’s growth and economic development. Learn more at jea.com.

Media Contact

Myers Vasquez
media@jea.com | 904-665-5500

Category:

• conservation
• customer
• environment