A timely, multidimensional view of poverty-related need

In the News

Housing is Seen as Missing Link in Opioid Crisis

(July 20) – It would be foolish to expect an addict — straight out of jail, treatment, or both — to find a sober night’s sleep under a bridge, said Jared Owen, a man in recovery. With not enough housing options in the state, Owens said recovering addicts are frequently left with the forlorn question, “What […]

Why the Sharp Decline in the Number of Food Stamp Recipients Isn’t Necessarily a Good Thing

(July 18) – In April, a safety net unraveled for hundreds of thousands of Americans when a federal provision linking food assistance to a work requirement eliminated many people’s access to supplemental nutrition assistance (SNAP) benefits. Since the provision came into effect on April 1, SNAP participation rates have dramatically decreased.

How Race and Poverty Can Affect Early Death

(July 18) – Study after study has identified being a racial minority and living below the poverty line as key factors that can contribute to higher mortality for many reasons. While the causes can vary — including diet, limited access to quality health care, smoking status and being more vulnerable to violent crime — most […]

Sparkling and Blighted, Convention Cities Spotlight Ignored Urban Issues

(July 17) – It was a sparkling scene of urban renaissance: Children scampered through the fountain in Public Square, spruced up at a cost of $50 million just in time for the Republican convention here. Electricians installed security cameras on the redesigned plaza as carpenters put the finishing touches on a new cafe. Twenty minutes […]

A Bipartisan Approach to Poverty

(July 15) – Behavioral science has brought renewed attention to the problem of poverty from policymakers on both sides of the aisle. Research shows that poverty is a significant influence on virtually every common and costly psychological and behavioral problem.

Ranking Shows Rich Nations Not Leading Way to End Poverty, Inequality

(July 14) – Most of the world’s richest countries failed to earn top marks on their progress toward reaching the United Nations’ goals to end poverty and inequality, with only Germany and the United Kingdom in the top ten, according to a list published on Thursday. The United States ranked 25th on the index of 149 […]

Actress Shailene Woodley Pushes for Online Food Stamps

(July 13) – Actress Shailene Woodley is helping lawmakers and digital retailers push the Obama administration to allow people to use food stamps online. Woodley attended a congressional briefing hosted by Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), along with Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), on Tuesday to help make the case.

Jamie Dimon: Why We’re Giving Our Employees a Raise

(July 12) – Wage stagnation. Income inequality. A lack of quality education. Insufficient training and skills development. Issues like these have led approximately two-thirds of Americans to believe that the next generation will be worse off than the last.

Can Poverty Be Passed Down? A Nonprofit Tries to Break the Cycle

(July 12) – In some households, poverty is passed down from generation to generation, almost like an inherited trait. Teri Williams, president of OneUnited Bank, sees it happen among the lower-income Boston residents the bank serves.

Half of America’s childcare workers need food stamps, welfare payments or Medicaid

(July 11) – The people paid to watch America’s children tend to live in poverty. Nearly half receive some kind of government assistance: food stamps, welfare checks, Medicaid. Their median hourly wage is $9.77 — about $3 below the average janitor’s.