Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Privilege Of Healthy Eating: A Qualitative Study Exploring The Local Food Choices Of Low-Income Families From Appalachia, Iryna Sharaievska, Stephanie West, Melissa Weddell

Publications

Using qualitative semi-structured interviews, 15 low-income women of different ages were asked to discuss their perceptions of healthy eating, local farmers’ markets, as well as their visitation of farmers’ markets. The participants were also asked to share what features of farmers’ markets they found appealing. The results showed that most of the participants had either a deep or moderate understanding of what it means to eat healthy. However, many of them also believed they could improve their own patterns of eating. The data also showed that the low-income women who took part in the study had positive attitudes overall toward …

On Solid Ground: Building Opportunity, Preventing Homelessness, Center For Social Policy, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center For Public Management, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Center for Social Policy Publications

This paper presents many of the factors that contribute to family instability; identifies the gaps in programs meant to serve low-income families; documents the role of federal and state rental subsidy programs; and demonstrates the interconnected roles of rental assistance, childcare, and employment assistance in increasing family incomes. The coalition of agencies undertook both quantitative and qualitative research for this paper. The coalition held focus groups with numerous stakeholders across the Commonwealth—families who have experienced or are at risk of homelessness, service providers, and public employees. On Solid Ground thanks the many participants who shared their experiences, as well as …

How Youth Are Put At Risk By Parents’ Low-Wage Jobs, Lisa Dodson, Randy Albelda, Diana Salas Coronado, Marya Mtshali

Center for Social Policy Publications

In this report, we present a first-ever overview of what is known about the relationship between the status of youth and their parents’ low-wage jobs. Of the 20 million adolescents with working parents, 3.6 million (one out of every six) are in low-income families where parents have low-wage jobs. We identify several ways that young people are harmed by their parents’ low-wage, low-quality jobs that point to the urgency of this issue.

Homeownership And Parenting Practices: Evidence From The Community Advantage Panel, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Trina R.W. Shanks, Kim R. Manturuk, Clinton C. Key, Jong-Gyu Paik, Johanna K.P. Greeson

Johanna K.P. Greeson, PhD, MSS, MLSP

This study examines whether there is a significant relationship between homeownership and engaged parenting practices among low- and moderate-income households. Using analytic methods which account for selection effects and clustering, we test whether homeownership can act as a protective factor against parental disengagement from children. Controlling for individual characteristics, analyses demonstrate that homeowners are more likely than renters to demonstrate engaged parenting behaviors such as organizing structured activities for their children. While renters are more likely to read to their children, the children of homeowners spend less time watching television and playing video games. Implications for low-income housing policy are …

Child Care And Development Fund: A Policy Analysis, Colleen K. Vesely, Elaine A. Anderson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Legislated as part of welfare reform, the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the main source of child care government funding earmarked for low-income families. As a block grant, with broad federal guidelines, states have significant freedom in implementing this legislation to meet the needs of their citizens. This diverse implementation has challenged legislators and scholars trying to assess the success of CCDF across the United States. In considering the evaluation research of CCDF, as well as the original goals of this legislation, several major themes related to the diverse state implementation emerged, including access, equity, and stability. This …

Advancing The Fiscal Health Of Low-Income Families: A Public And Community Health Approach, Doreen Treacy

Center for Social Policy Publications

For decades, health researchers have documented the links between individual and household income/wealth and clinical health outcomes. The research and literature consistently point to both income inequality (i.e. individual household income/wealth as compared to other households in the same state) and individual household income as predictors of diminished health and morbidity. And yet the current framework for providing financial education, disseminating asset building information, and overall responding to the financial health of individuals and households takes no cues from public health and community health best practices. Further, the documented links between financial stress and compromised physical health are compelling enough …

Impact – Information Management, Public Access, Community Transformation: Final Evaluation Report, Oscar Gutierrez, John Mcgah

Center for Social Policy Publications

In 2000 the Department of Commerce awarded the Lake County (IL) Department of Planning, Building and Development a Technology Opportunity Program (TOPS) Grant to implement Project IMPACT. The project’s goals were “to improve access to and delivery of human services for low-income residents, strengthen community planning and resource allocation, and enhance understanding of data on homelessness that can be gathered and aggregated on local and national levels to accurately capture the scope of the problem and the effectiveness of efforts to ameliorate it.”

The Center for Social Policy (CSP) at the McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies, University of Massachusetts …

Participants' Perceptions Of The Childcare Subsidy System, Sue Pearlmutter, Elizabeth E. Bartle

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper presents a focus group study of perceptions of cash assistance participants in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and the San Fernando Valley in California regarding childcare subsidy use, choices of care, and perceptions of quality. TANF participants discuss experiences in the subsidy system and indicate needs and preferences for childcare. Advocates, policy makers, and parents recognize the need for suitable childcare so that TANF recipients can go to work. However, discussants' comments demonstrate one result of a changing, but not yet changed, social safety net. The authors explore strategies to address participants' concerns-childcare systems that neither function as promised, nor …

Technology Goes Home Evaluation – Executive Summary, Donna H. Friedman, Michelle Kahan, Tatjana Meschede, Consuela Greene

Center for Social Policy Publications

Technology Goes Home (TGH) is an innovative program designed to bridge the digital divide by bringing technology into low-income families’ homes. This Boston Digital Bridge Foundation (BDBF) program strives to prepare adults for employment opportunities and to help children improve academic performance by offering computer training and equipment to families in Boston neighborhoods and schools. Classes are offered in groups, with parents and children learning together in order to strengthen families and build community as well as skills. Neighborhood programs are operated in six communities through Neighborhood Technology Collaboratives, coalitions of community-based organizations. These coalitions select participating families, and provide …

Impact – Information Management, Public Access, Community Transformation: Year Two Evaluation Report, September 1, 2001 Through August 31, 2002, Oscar Gutierrez, John Mcgah

Center for Social Policy Publications

The goals of the IMPACT project are “to improve access to and delivery of human services for low-income residents, strengthen community planning and resource allocation, and enhance understanding of data on homelessness can be gathered and aggregated on local and national levels to accurately capture the scope of the problem and the effectiveness of efforts to ameliorate it.”

The Center for Social Policy (CSP), McCormack Institute at the University of UMass Boston was commissioned to produce a series of evaluation reports of the IMPACT project; this is the second of three reports covering year two activity of the IMPACT. The …

Impact – Information Management, Public Access, Community Transformation: Year One Evaluation Report, September 1, 2000 Through August 31, 2001, Oscar Gutierrez, John Mcgah, Donna H. Friedman

Center for Social Policy Publications

The goals of the IMPACT project are “to improve access to and delivery of human services for low-income residents, strengthen community planning and resource allocation, and enhance understanding of how data on homelessness can be gathered and aggregated on local and national levels to accurately capture the scope of the problem and the effectiveness of efforts to ameliorate it.”

The first year of the IMPACT project was one of infrastructure development in a broad sense. It involved primarily the development and modification of innovative information technology tools as well as the identification, selection and deployment of other information systems designed …