This article for the NGA Center on Best Practices reviews why reading and literacy activities are important for States. Literary readers have been shown to be more likely than nonreaders to pursue social and civic activities such as volunteering…

This article, through the Urban Institute, reviews information on the Food Stamp Program, which provided $200 a month on average to participating households during fiscal year 2004. However, many eligible families do not enroll in the program.…

This article reviews community prevention strategies that reduce the number of homeless people in local areas. Best practices included targeting through control of eligibility screening, developing community motivation, maximizing resources,…

This paper considers four programs--Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), food stamps, child care subsidies, and the earned income tax credit (EITC)--that form the core work support system in the United States. It…

Asset building can be an important anti-poverty tool for many families as tangible assets can be passed down from generation to generation and afford families greater economic stability than income alone. Savings accounts are key to increasing…

This first Issue Brief from the National Center for Children in Poverty's (NCCP's) Project THRIVE identifies ways for States currently planning early childhood comprehensive care systems to use Federal and State fiscal resources more effectively…

The Santa Clara County Children's Health Initiative (CHI) is an outreach program to expand children's health insurance. The goal of the effort is to make certain that children enroll for all the programs that they are eligible. Overall, parents…

This article reviews a project designed to provide welfare recipients working 20 hours a week with an education program at a local community college. The 24 week program included mathematics, English, computer skills, as well as life skills…

This article discusses challenges facing rural America. Although rural America has experienced population loss in recent years, the population is starting to grow again. In 2000, one in five Americans lived in rural areas, which is around 56.1…

From the Urban Institute, this article provides an overview of key topics surrounding of prisoner reentry and outlines past research documenting the pathways of prisoner reintegration. Reviewing the Urban Institute's work on this topic, this…