Policy Brief Policy Brief: The Role of CalFresh in Stabilizing Family Incomes By Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman, Vicki Hsieh Sep 21, 2022 As policymakers consider ways to strengthen the connections between safety net participation and economic mobility, a better understanding of the job and income instability CalFresh participants face is critical.
Report The Role of CalFresh in Stabilizing Family Incomes By Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman Sep 21, 2022 CalFresh—California’s largest safety net program—helps mitigate income instability for many low-income families. But those without recent employment often do not experience this stabilizing effect. Additional efforts to automate income reporting and ensure that individuals can access CalFresh as soon as they are eligible could strengthen the program’s reach and impact.
blog post Basic Needs Centers at California Colleges Can Help Fight Student Hunger By Eliana Blachman, Caroline Danielson Sep 19, 2022 California’s community colleges, which serve a large number of low-income students, are using basic needs centers to increase students’ access to CalFresh food assistance.
blog post Inflation Is Undercutting Pandemic-Era Increases in Food Assistance By Tess Thorman, Eliana Blachman Aug 18, 2022 Rising food prices have substantially eroded the value of recent increases to CalFresh benefits. Participants should see some relief in October, when benefit levels are adjusted for inflation.
Report Employment Patterns for CalFresh Adults By Tess Thorman, Caroline Danielson Jul 13, 2022 CalFresh provides food assistance to about 4.5 million low-income Californians. While many adults who access CalFresh are working, their jobs may be temporary or unstable. Understanding changes in employment before, during, and after adults enroll in CalFresh can help policymakers and administrators better align the program with workers’ needs.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Employment Patterns for CalFresh Adults By Tess Thorman, Caroline Danielson, Stephanie Barton Jul 13, 2022 Most CalFresh participants work, but unemployment and job instability are common. CalFresh assistance may help some stay connected to the workforce; however, work patterns may affect the length and impact of benefits. Policymakers and administrators should ensure that processes for getting and keeping benefits accommodate workers.
blog post School Meals May Help Families Fight Food Inflation By Caroline Danielson, Niu Gao Jun 1, 2022 The rising cost of food and other necessities is an especially large challenge for low-income families. For households with schoolchildren, school meals can help address the impact of higher prices and increase access to nutritious food.
event Setting the Stage for Universal Preschool May 12, 2022 As the state expands its Transitional Kindergarten program, one key issue is whether access will be equitable. PPIC researcher Emmanuel Prunty will present findings from a new report examining current participation in the program across diverse student groups and districts, and a panel of experts will discuss ways to ensure an equitable expansion toward the goal of closing gaps in school readiness.
blog post How Did the Pandemic Transform California’s Safety Net? By Caroline Danielson Mar 11, 2022 Government investments and service innovations reduced the economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. The impact of these approaches can inform safety net policy beyond the pandemic.
blog post Expansions to Food Assistance Could Reduce Child Poverty By Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman Oct 1, 2021 Long-term commitments to expand CalFresh and school meals, two of California’s largest food assistance programs, could lift an estimated 90,000 children out of poverty.
