Issues in Food Assistance-Reforming Welfare: What Does It Mean for Rural Areas?

by Leslie Whitener, Bruce Weber, and Greg Duncan

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act dramatically altered the social safety net for poor Americans, including the 7 million people living in poverty in nonmetro areas. This issue brief examines evidence from recent research about rural-urban differences in welfare reform impacts on program participation, employment, earnings, and poverty and assesses how well welfare reform is working in rural areas.

Keywords: Welfare reform, rural, nonmetro, poverty, income, well-being, food assistance, Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program, personal responsibility and work opportunity reconciliation act

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