United Way mourns the passing of visionary CEO Emeritus John Franklin
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 minutes ago
Founder of the ALICE movement, John leaves a legacy of leadership, mentorship, and service
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of John B. Franklin, United Way of Northern New Jersey CEO Emeritus and founder of the ALICE movement.
John was a friend, mentor, and bold visionary. His leadership was informed by sincere care for all people, a playful wit, and a love for his family, his staff, and his country.
“John led with courage, compassion, and purpose,” said United Way of Northern New Jersey CEO Kiran Handa Gaudioso. “A true servant leader, he made you feel seen, heard, and valued. That was the guiding spirit behind his founding of the ALICE movement.”
John’s tenure with United Way spanned 23 years and tremendous change in the nonprofit world. It was his ability to see what others overlooked, to embrace a spirit of lifelong learning, and to not take himself too seriously, which endeared him to staff and inspired a commitment to carry out his vision.
Underlying his soft voice and lighthearted demeanor was a steely determination to rewrite the narrative around who was struggling financially in the U.S. and why. Under John’s leadership, the term ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) was coined to shed light on the millions of hardworking families in the U.S. ignored by traditional poverty measures yet still struggling to make ends meet.
Sounding the alarm on the growing affordability crisis was just the first step. Next, John believed that a movement harnessing community, data, storytelling, and collective action would drive meaningful change. And that’s how he built the national United For ALICE movement.
“John dreamed big and knew how to assemble the right team to bring his vision to life, said United Way’s Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Theresa Leamy, John’s former student who then worked with him at United Way for 20 years. “His leadership inspired countless individuals, policymakers, and communities to act with greater clarity and urgency.”
In the last year, John dreamed up what he hoped would be the foundation for the next generation of United For ALICE changemakers — the John B. Franklin ALICE Democracy Scholarship. An adjunct college professor and youth mentor who led volunteer homebuilding projects throughout his life, John believed in nurturing young talent.
Seeding the scholarship with over $100,000, John had a vision for paving the way for first- and second-generation ALICE students from immigrant families to pursue higher education — and their American dream. It was John’s wish that donations in his honor support this new college scholarship fund.
“Our father was working to create change for ALICE until his final moments,” said his children Chloe Millea and Joshua Franklin in a shared statement. “He believed United Way could lead the way in driving change for ALICE families — and he laid the foundation for exactly that.”
John entered the nonprofit sector after three decades in an instructional design career, first leading the Community Soup Kitchen of Morristown and then joining United Way of Morris County in 1997, becoming CEO in 2002. As CEO, John brought his whole self to work.
He regularly made time to check in on staff and their families. He cooked his signature chili for potluck lunches. And he dressed up on Halloween and brought his selfie stick and light-up sneakers to holiday gatherings.
In the community, he positioned United Way as a community leader and consistently challenged the status quo in how to think about and address the most pressing community issues.
He would recognize the warning signs of seismic change in the sector. That led him to negotiate the merger of six local United Ways to form United Way of Northern New Jersey. Named CEO of the regional nonprofit in 2011, John was determined to transform how the country understood and addressed solutions to financial hardship.
“John had seen ALICE individuals on the soup line and cared about how they ended up there,” said United For ALICE National Director Stephanie Hoopes, Ph.D., who developed the ALICE metric and partnered with John. “He believed every individual deserved to be treated with dignity and respect and have pathways to financial
stability.”
An enduring testament to John’s vision is the strength and breadth of the United For ALICE brand and movement today — spanning 41 states and D.C. — and convening more than 700 champions at the 2026 National ALICE Summit earlier this year.
“John’s impact will continue to be felt by generations of changemakers, and his legacy will forever live in every person he touched and the work he helped ignite,” Handa Gaudioso said.