The report from First Focus provides a historical context and lessons learned on two-generation approaches to reducing poverty. The author discusses three policy areas to implement two-generation approaches, including Head Start, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training, and TANF.

The report by Enterprise Community Partners, with funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, highlights some of the existing programs and best practices in addressing the nutritional needs of low-income communities. It also provides a series of actionable recommendations that demonstrate how housing providers can serve as a crucial conduit for providing low-income families with access to healthy foods and fostering healthy eating. The goal of this paper is to link the efforts of community developers, affordable housing providers, and other stakeholders and to advance the conversation between the housing and health fields.

The Future of Children at Princeton University and the Brookings Institution released a research report that highlights the causes of food insecurity among children and examines the effectiveness of public policies aimed at addressing this issue.

Studies show that low-income families are more likely to be unbanked and “underbanked” than families with higher earnings. Lacking a bank account or depending on alternative financial services leads to significant financial barriers for low-income families that hinder economic growth and social mobility. This session will evaluate strategies that local and state human services agencies are testing to equip TANF recipients with the financial knowledge and resources they need to overcome barriers to financial security, including ACF’s Asset Initiative Partnership. Gretchen Lehman (Administration for Children and Families) will moderate this session.

• Financial Counseling and Financial Access for the Financially Vulnerable

Kasey Wiedrich (Corporation for Enterprise Development)

The presentation examines financial management strategies among low-income families.  Two research studies are described: Children's HealthWatch and Witnesses to Hunger.

• Building Economic Self-Sufficiency of TANF Clients Through Financial Education and Matched Savings

Kate Griffin (Corporation for Enterprise Development)

The presentation describes data from a financial education program for TANF recipients that provides training in budgeting and credit management.  The pilot was started in July 2013 with the Utah Department of Workforce Services.

• Financial Management Strategies of TANF and SNAP Recipients: Lessons for Policy Makers and Administrators

Mariana Chilton (Drexel University)

The presentation describes a completed research project that looks at the impact of the AFCO financial counseling program for families leaving TANF and entering into a work-ready context.

These presentations were given at the 2014 Welfare Research and Evaluation Conference (WREC).

There can be a tension between the time needed to implement rigorous policy evaluations and the immediate needs of policy makers for information. This session will explore methods to help policy makers generate and use evidence for decision making, even on short timelines. Michelle Derr (Mathematica Policy Research) will moderate this session. (conference program description)

• Using Rapid Cycle Evaluation Techniques to Test Regulatory Changes

Scott Cody (Mathematica Policy Research)

The presentation defines and explains the concept of rapid cycle evaluation, and how to utilize it to examine how programs such as SNAP and TANF respond to regulatory changes.

• Recognizing and Conducting Opportunistic Experiments

Alexandra Resch (Mathematica Policy Research)

The presentation describes opportunistic experiments and the benefits of this style of research, with an example from work done with school districts to create a culture of learning.

• Responding to Rapidly Changing Environments: The Benefits of Internal Evaluation Capacity

Angela Rachidi (New York City Human Resources Administration)

The presentation explains on rapid cycle evaluation is implemented in NYC by the Human Resources Administration, with an example from a pilot program involving SNAP centers.

These presentations were given at the 2014 Welfare Research and Evaluation Conference (WREC).

Authored by faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, this series of reports focuses on poverty and food security. The report provides detailed analysis of statewide trends in poverty and food security by county in comparison with the State. In addition, it includes a discussion of possible implications for policies and programs.

In response to Section 743 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, RTI International released a report that explores hunger and food security in America. The report outlines determinants, consequences, and responses to food insecurity, with the hope of spurring policy and program development to address this issue.

This brief from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities provides a broad overview of research and evidence of the positive effect of public benefit programs on poverty rates in the U.S. Programs highlighted include SNAP, Medicaid, and refundable tax credits with a discussion of the current support for low income working families (versus historical policies which did not incentivize work). To conclude, the brief provides research citing improved long-term outcomes for children whose families are supported by public benefit programs. Two appendices provide charts with the number of people kept above the poverty in each state; an interesting and potentially helpful resource for policymakers and program administrators.

The United States Department of Agriculture released an annual report that assesses household food security in America. According to this report, 85.7% of American households were food secure in 2013.