CAN YOU SURVIVE?

Dear Lucas,

How much do you have each week for groceries, for the bus and subway, for a movie or an emergency?

Far too many New Yorkers aren't getting by. With one of the highest costs of living in the country, an adult with a child in New York City needs $67,153 a year to make ends meet. That's $32.28 per hour at a full-time job. But thousands of minimum wage workers in New York City earn only $7.25 per hour, and between $10,000 and $18,000 a year.

That's why city leaders are stepping into the shoes of another New Yorker, one that is struggling to get by and fighting for a better future.

This week Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, and Council Members Letitia James, Jessica Lappin, Donovan Richards, Steve Levin, Ydanis Rodriguez and Jumaane Williams will live off the budget of one of four workers in NYC: a home health aide, a McDonald's worker, an airport worker from JFK and a grocery store worker from Brooklyn.

They are going to see how tough it is to survive and what these workers need to do to make it through the week. Join them and take the challenge, click here to find out more.

You can follow their experiences on Twitter at the hashtag #canyousurvive and at http://www.workersrising.org.

Best,

Jonathan Westin

Executive Director

New York Communities for Change

P.S. If you want to join the fight against income inequality in NYC, join us on next Wednesday July 24, at Prospect Park at 5:30pm as we fight back against low wages at McDonald's and other fast food companies and plan the next steps in the campaign. Click for more info.