General Assistance, Welfare, and TANF in the Previous Two Years (7.5)
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Clients were asked whether they received general assistance, welfare, or TANF in the previous two years and, if so, whether the assistance had been discontinued. They also provided reasons for the discontinuation. Table 7.5.1 presents the results.
Table 7.5.1
GENERAL ASSISTANCE, WELFARE, AND TANF IN THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS
|
Pantry Client Households |
Kitchen Client Households |
Shelter Client Households |
All Client Households |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Clients who received general assistance, welfare, or TANF during the past two years |
|
|
|
|
Yes |
13.9% |
15.1% |
14.4% |
14.2% |
No |
86.1% |
84.9% |
85.6% |
85.8% |
TOTAL |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
SAMPLE SIZE (N) |
37,986 |
10,667 |
4,225 |
52,878 |
Clients for whom the assistance stopped during the past two years |
39.4% |
49.3% |
50.4% |
42.0% |
SAMPLE SIZE (N) – Clients who received specified assistance |
4,841 |
1,342 |
807 |
6,990 |
Reasons for the discontinuation of the assistance a |
|
|
|
|
Ineligible income level |
38.3% |
27.6% |
26.3% |
34.9% |
Change in household makeup |
7.6% |
4.5% |
16.6% |
7.7% |
Time limit for receiving the help ran out |
14.6% |
15.9% |
20.1% |
15.3% |
Sanctioned by welfare or another agency |
7.2% |
16.8% |
2.7% |
9.0% |
Citizenship status |
0.1% |
0.3% |
0.3% |
0.2% |
Too much hassle |
4.9% |
9.3% |
8.2% |
6.2% |
Chose to stop receiving it |
5.8% |
5.9% |
13.4% |
6.5% |
Other b |
25.4% |
31.1% |
31.6% |
27.2% |
SAMPLE SIZE (N) – Clients who received specified assistance, which then stopped during the previous two years |
1,757 |
595 |
352 |
2,704 |
Source:
This table was constructed based on usable responses to
questions 26, 27, and 28 of the client
survey
.
Notes:
The percentages presented in this table are based only on
usable responses, excluding missing, don't know, and refusal responses.
All usable responses were weighted as described in Chapter 3 and in the Technical Appendix
volume to represent all emergency food clients of the A2H National Network. The sample sizes (N) also include missing data.
For receiving assistance, missing, don’t know, and refusal responses combined are 3.8% for pantry clients, 3.0% for kitchen clients, 3.3% for shelter clients, and 3.7% for all clients.
For reasons for discontinuation of assistance, missing, don’t know, and refusal responses combined are 3.5% for pantry clients, 2.0% for kitchen clients, 0.9% for shelter clients, and 2.9% for all clients.
a Multiple responses were accepted.
b This category includes having not reapplied, relocation, and found work.
During the previous two years, 14.2% of the clients received general assistance, welfare, or TANF. Details include:
- Among those who had received the specified assistance, 42.0% indicated that the assistance was discontinued.
- As for the reasons for the discontinuation, 34.9% ascribed it to having an ineligible income level, 7.7% to change of household makeup, and 15.3% to time limit for the assistance.
- In addition, 9.0% of the clients indicated that the assistance was discontinued because they were sanctioned by welfare or another agency, and 0.2% mentioned their citizenship status as a factor.
- Also, 6.2% of the clients no longer received the assistance because it was too much hassle for them, and 6.5% chose to stop receiving the assistance.