Will Retiring Boomers Form a New Army of Volunteers?

This study looks at older adults retiring between 1996 and 2004 to see who engages in formal volunteering after retirement. The results, based on data from the Health and Retirement Survey, show that while most volunteers acquire the volunteer habit while still working, a significant share begins volunteer work after retirement. Among adults who retire, 45 percent engage in formal volunteer activities even though only 34 percent of these same adults volunteered while working. Since boomer cohorts following this group will be much larger, nonprofit organizations seem destined to benefit from a significant growth in the services of retirees

Welfare Reform: What Have We Learned in Fifteen Years?

Synthesizes findings about the impact of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program on caseloads and family self-sufficiency, effective training and education strategies, and outcomes for families in moving from welfare to work

Building a Better Safety Net for the New New Orleans

The most vulnerable populations in New Orleans -- the elderly, people with physical and mental disabilities, and single mothers out of the labor market -- arguably were hit hardest by Katrina. These groups had the highest poverty rates and the fewest assets.Most were African American. Many depended on the social safety net for survival and on others to avoid the storm's catastrophic effects. Most of these vulnerable residents eventually evacuated the city, and it is unclear how many will return home. Research suggests that they will need the strong kinship networks established pre-Katrina (Hill 1993). But vulnerable populations also require a functioning safety net along with other necessities such as housing and health care discussed in earlier essays. Rebuilding presents New Orleans with a unique opportunity to strengthen its safety net for vulnerable populations that return and for others who will require help in the future

Is the Safety Net Catching Unemployed Families?

Examines changes in benefits and characteristics of unemployed families and those who received unemployment, SNAP, child tax credit, and other public assistance in 2009. Considers factors behind increases in unemployment and SNAP recipients

Next Steps for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Examines trends in the state programs' caseloads, eligibility rules, and characteristics of families receiving assistance. Presents experts' views on lessons from the recession and insights into funding, TANF's role in the safety net, and reauthorization

Tax and Spending Policy and Economic Mobility

Surveys the literature on how economic mobility is affected by federal tax policies such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and deductions for home ownership; government spending on education and health care; and income supports such as Social Security

Hard-to-Employ Parents: A Review of Their Characteristics and the Programs Designed to Serve Their Needs

Many low-income parents with personal challenges that make work difficult (sometimes called the "hard to employ") seek help from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, but many do not. The most effective TANF programs offer cash assistance along with services that alleviate barriers and help clients find jobs. Other federal-state programs offer help by providing either generic employment services or specialized services that address particular challenges. Hard-to-employ parents probably fare best when they enroll in TANF and receive a holistic set of supports. A redesigned system should marshal all program resources to provide an integrated system that addresses barriers and supports work simultaneously

Retaining Older Volunteers Is Key to Meeting Future Volunteer Needs

The boomers' impending retirement has spurred interest in tapping their productive energies to benefit society. This study examines older adults' decisions to stop or start formal volunteer work. The findings show that older adults usually stick with their original decisions, but more often stop than start volunteering. Volunteers who contribute a lot of hours over many years and who are married to volunteers are less likely to quit. And nonvolunteers are more likely to start volunteering if they have been uninvolved for few years and their spouses volunteer. The results highlight the importance of volunteer retention strategies for nonprofit agencies

Understanding Early Withdrawals From Retirement Accounts

Examines early withdrawals from IRAs and 401(k)s by demographics, education, income, and reason, including job loss, poor health, and college costs. Suggests policies to expand plan participation, preserve retirement savings, and increase other savings

Measuring Poverty at the State Level

Outlines a model for using the National Academy of Sciences poverty measure, which accounts for all income, non-discretionary work and out-of-pocket health expenses, and geographic cost variations, to estimate the effects of poverty reduction policies