a policy brief from ICPH May 2013 Finding a job continues to be a challenge for many New Yorkers. In March 2013 the city’s jobless rate was 8.9%;1 for homeless families, unemployment was significantly higher, with some estimates at 57%.2 Yet work has become practically the only means out of shelter, as budget constraints have…
This opinion brief points to New York City as a case study on rapid rehousing and takes a critical look at the long-term impact of federally driven rapid rehousing policies, raising fundamental questions about the effectiveness of rapid rehousing as a solution when it is used in a one-size-fits all manner.…
The feature articles in this issue take both broad and up-close looks at the work of serving poor and homeless families. Our cover story, “Healthy Beginnings, Healthy Life,” which examines widespread efforts among medical professionals and others to ensure the well-being of mothers over the long term. “Lives in Transition,” meanwhile, focuses on one facility, Transition House in Santa Barbara, California, which works with families who are motivated to overcome the crises that have led them to homelessness and rebuild their lives. …
In 2011, over one-third (35%) of New York City residents had difficulty affording essential food. … Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit allowance does not take into account the higher cost of food in New York City compared to other urban areas.…
“Failure to complete high school or an equivalent is correlated with low lifetime earnings, few and low-paying employment prospects, and poor family-planning decisions, factors that can ultimately translate into a crippling cycle of poverty and dependence on public assistance.”…
This issue of UNCENSORED includes three features on programs aimed at helping those who find themselves homeless, as well as a piece on a New York domestic-violence shelter written by journalist who has firsthand experience there.…
This issue examines the plight of undocumented families in “Reaching into the Shadows;” the bureaucratic and legal challenges to receiving food stamps in “Little Becoming Less;” the positive effects of gardening in “Green Thumbs Up;” and the need for better data to understand and target services to homeless youth in “National Perspective.”
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This issue’s cover story delves into local programs and national trends to provide better access to and awareness of healthy foods and food preparation—from rooftop gardens to mobile produce deliveries and junior chefs. The issue also looks at the push for financial literacy among low-income families, how homeless, formerly homeless, and foster-care youth are choosing to speak up for change, and more.…
This special report proposes using the family shelter as a tool for parents with limited education and work experience, as well as for victims of domestic violence, and those with mental health and substance abuse issues, and a history in the child welfare system.…
“Nowhere is poverty more apparent today than in the Bronx—specifically the South Bronx.”…
This issue of UNCENSORED spotlights homeless LGBT youth, the not-so-uncommon phenomenon of “couch surfing,” and housing assistance for survivors of domestic violence. …
This issue includes a feature on the use of the arts in helping homeless children and youth find their voice during unsettling circumstances. It also investigates New York City’s housing subsidy policies in the context of the national debate about Housing First strategies, the value of volunteers to both staff and clients at the shelter level, and a new program offering free, fresh milk to New York City families in need.…