The Poverty-Reducing Effects of the EITC and Other Safety Nets for Young Adult Parents

In this brief, Jess Carson explores the poverty-reducing effects of key federal safety net programs among 18-24 year old (“young adult”) parents. An estimated 2.5 million very young children live with a young adult parent, with low-income children especially likely to do so. The brief finds that more than four in five young adult parents, regardless of income, participate in at least one major safety net program. Of these, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is the most widely used and the most effective at reducing poverty under the Supplemental Poverty Measure, and poverty would increase by 6.7 percentage points without the EITC. Continued efforts to expand and support access to the EITC can provide young families with a key source of poverty-alleviating income

Rural Areas with Seasonal Homes Hit Hard by COVID-19

In this data snapshot, author Jess Carson finds that rural counties where at least 25 percent of the housing units are for seasonal use are hit especially hard by COVID-19 compared with urban and other kinds of rural counties

SNAP use increased slightly in 2012

This brief uses data from the American Community Survey to examine rates of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) receipt in 2012, track changes since the onset of the recession, and monitor receipt by region and place type. It also explores changes in SNAP receipt among households that may be at particular risk for food insecurity and considers rates among some less traditionally at-risk populations, exploring changes in their rates of receipt over time. Author Jessica Carson writes that reports of SNAP receipt in 2012 increased among populations at particular risk for food insecurity, including households with children, seniors, the poor, and householders with a disability, as well as populations less often considered at risk, including married couples and households without children. Despite increased reliance on SNAP, the program is presently facing substantial cuts in the U.S. House and Senate in the coming weeks. Carson concludes that any cuts to program funding should consider the vulnerable populations that have increasingly relied on these benefits in a tenuous economy where the social safety net is already frail

Who would be affected by a new minimum wage policy?

This brief describes the population who would be directly affected by the President’s proposal to increase the minimum wage to $9.00 per hour: workers earning between$7.25 and $9.00 per hour. Using data from the 2010 and 2012 Annual Social and Economic Supplement of the Current Population Survey, author Jessica Carson details the characteristics of these potentially affected earners and compares them with the hourly workforce more broadly, paying particular attention to rural-urban differences. She reports that nearly 17 percent of hourly paid workers earn between$7.25 and $9.00 per hour and would see a pay increase under the proposed minimum wage policy. The brief also shows that women, young adults, and workers who are nonwhite, never married, and less educated would disproportionately benefit from a changed policy. She concludes with a discussion of policy implications, emphasizing that to minimize potentially negative employment effects, any minimum wage legislation should be crafted with careful consideration of the implications that an increase may have for firms employing hourly workers

Many Eligible Children Don’t Participate in School Nutrition Programs; Reauthorization Offers Opportunities to Improve

This brief uses data from the 2013 Current Population Survey’s Food Security Supplement to document levels of participation in two of the largest programs authorized by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010—the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program—by region and place type (rural, suburban, and city), to identify areas where expanding participation may be especially important. Author Jessica Carson reports that only 64 percent of eligible households participate in the National School Lunch Program, and 52 percent participate in the School Breakfast Program. Fifty-nine percent of eligible suburban households and 63 percent of rural households participate in the National School Lunch Program, compared with more than 70 percent of eligible city households. Southern households are more likely to participate in the School Breakfast Program than households in the Northeast or Midwest; there are no regional differences in National School Lunch Program participation. She concludes that participation is moderate among eligible households, with room to increase participation among those in need. In particular, legislators with rural constituents may want to consider ways to redress low participation in their communities by supporting policies that expand enrollment

Liquid pump for astronaut cooling

The Apollo portable life support system water-recirculation pump used for astronaut cooling is described. The problems associated with an early centrifugal pump and how these problems were overcome by the use of a new diaphragm pump are discussed. Performance comparisons of the two pump designs are given. Developmental problems and flight results with the diaphragm pump are discussed

Toward a More Equal Footing: Early Head Start In Maine

In this brief, author Jessica Carson explores the characteristics of Early Head Start (EHS) in Maine, compares them to the national landscape, and connects these findings to a discussion of the federal and state policy climates. She reports that Maine has 837 EHS slots for more than 8,000 poor children age 0–2 in Maine. Limited funding means that EHS is unable to reach the vast majority of children living below the poverty line. Nearly half of Maine’s EHS enrollees participate via the home visitation service delivery model, compared with 37.3 percent nationwide. Although state supplemental funds pay for a small share of all Maine EHS slots (60 of the 837 slots in 2015-2016), in a climate where early childhood education and care is expensive, these slots provide critical access to some of Maine’s most vulnerable families. More broadly, because EHS can reach only a small number of Mainers, the state might consider ways to bolster the stability of this population in other ways, including through state home visitation funds and child care funds more generally. This research was supported by a grant from the Portland-based John T. Gorman Foundation, whose mission is to advance ideas and opportunities that can improve the lives of disadvantaged people in Maine

Maine Head Start Report: 2017

In this report, author Jessica Carson explores the landscape of Maine’s Head Start program, describing how Head Start is funded, the characteristics of enrolled children and families, staff educational requirements, and an overview of the services offered

Mapping the Food Landscape in New Hampshire

In this brief, Jess Carson explores the food landscape of New Hampshire, documenting where lower incomes and low population density might lead to food insecurity, and mapping the locations of various food sources. Much of the northern and western parts of the state have high proportions of low-income residents and low population density, compared with more southern parts of the state. In terms of food sources, retail locations roughly mirror the state’s population distribution, with many options throughout the southern tier of the state and concentration around the Interstate 93 corridor into Northern New Hampshire. While many food support sites, like school-based food programs and retailers that accept SNAP also match the population distribution, community-organized food pantries are more closely aligned with the distribution of low-income populations across the state. Although this brief provides a tool for understanding how to focus investments and efforts around expanding access to fresh, nutritious food, challenges of nutrition and health cannot be addressed through improving access alone. Instead, policymakers and practitioners should continue to consider ways to make food accessible, available and affordable amid this new understanding of the food landscape

Both Rural and Urban SNAP Recipients Affected by Proposed Work Requirements

With the expiration of the current Farm Bill on September 30, 2018, the House and Senate are working in conference committee to reconcile their versions of its replacement. A major difference between the two is the House’s inclusion of a more intensive work requirement