Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2016
Publication Title
Journal of Human Resources
Abstract
We investigate to what extent major safety-net program benefits affect food insecurity in families. We impute program eligibility and benefits in each state for 2001-2009, accounting for cross-program eligibility rules. We use simulated eligibility and benefits for a nationally representative sample as instruments for imputed eligibility and potential benefits. Among nonimmigrant, low-income, single-parent families, $1,000 in potential cash or food benefits reduces the incidence of food insecurity by 1.1 percentage points on a base of 33 percent. Cash and food both reduce food insecurity. The results highlight the importance of jointly considering a full range of safety-net programs.
Volume
51
Issue
3
First Page
589
Last Page
614
DOI
10.3368/jhr.51.3.1013-5987R1
ISSN
0022166X
Rights
© 2013 by Lucie Schmidt, Lara Shore-Sheppard, and Tara Watson. A
Recommended Citation
Schmidt, Lucie; Shore-Sheppard, Lara; and Watson, Tara, "The Effect of Safety-Net Programs on Food Insecurity" (2016). Economics: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/eco_facpubs/83
Comments
Peer reviewed accepted manuscript.