“Out of every one hundred Americans, fewer than two get aid from today’s cash welfare program. Just 27 percent of poor families with children participate. There are more avid postage stamp collectors in the United States than welfare recipients.” — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“America’s cash welfare program—the main government program that caught people when they fell—was not merely replaced with the 1996 welfare reform; it was very nearly destroyed. In its place arose a different kind of safety net, one that provides a… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“Of the $16.5 billion the federal government transfers to states for TANF, more than $11 billion is siphoned off for other uses, sometimes to… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“Survival strategies come in three forms. The first is taking advantage of public spaces and private charities—the nation’s libraries, food pantries, homeless shelters, and… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“Parents like Jennifer, Susan, and Rae express desires that are quite modest. Full-time hours come first. That is a prize that can be astonishingly… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“Housing instability is a hallmark of life among the $2-a-day poor. Children experiencing $2-a-day poverty are far more likely to move over the course… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“As a practical matter, it is far more difficult to traffic in SNAP than it once was. Back in the days when folks got… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) deems a family that is spending more than 30 percent of its income on housing… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“Government-subsidized private sector job creation is one way forward. Recently, the federal government sponsored a promising short-term subsidized jobs program through something called the… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“Out of every one hundred Americans, fewer than two get aid from today’s cash welfare program. Just 27 percent of poor families with children… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“Already in 2001, 63 percent of very low income households were putting more than half their income toward housing, leaving too little for other… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“Providing the ultimate safety net is the role that Temporary Assistance for Needy Families is supposed to play, but it hasn’t proved to be… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“The most obvious manifestation of the affordable housing crisis is in rising rents. Between 1900 and 2013, rents rose faster than inflation in virtually… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“Yet laying the blame on a lack of personal responsibility obscures the fact that there are powerful and ever-changing structural forces at play here.… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“...child welfare officials deem it inappropriate for a brother and sister to sleep in the same bedroom once they reach a certain age. At… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“Although the 1996 welfare reform pushed millions of low-income single moms into the workforce, it did nothing to improve the conditions of low-wage jobs.… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
“In the fine print on a food stamp application, it is made clear that selling SNAP can result in a felony charge. And the… — Kathryn Edin Copy Share Image
