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Unemployment at 8.2% in March (Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 6, 2012)

The unemployment was 8.2% in March 2012, down only slightly from 8.3% in February. The unemployment rate was slightly higher among men age 20 and over (7.6%) compared to women age 20 and over (7.4%). Among youth of both sexes,...

Foreclosures Down 19% From One Year Ago (RealtyTrac, February 16, 2012)

According to RealtyTrac, there was a 4% increase in the number of foreclosure filings in June (default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions) compared to May 2011.

Income Inequality in the U.S. Widens Over the Course of Three Decades (Congressional Budget Office, October 2011)

A report from the Congressional Budget Office examines the distribution of household income before and after government transfers and federal taxes.

Unemployment Remains at 9.1% in September (Bureau of Labor Statistics, October 7, 2011)

The unemployment rate was 9.1% in September 2011, unchanged from July to September.

Health Insurance Coverage Rates Increase among Young Adults (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Sept. 20, 2011)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published Early Release of Estimates From the National Health Interview Survey, January-March 2011.

The Nation's Unemployment Landscape (New York Times, Sept. 26, 2011)

A New York Times feature shows the changes in unemployment rates across the nation. The highest unemployment rates are now concentrated in the South and the West.

Hispanic College Enrollment Grows (Pew Hispanic Center, August 25, 2011)

The Pew Hispanic Center's recent report on college enrollments reports a 24% growth in Hispanic college enrollments from 2009 to 2010 among 18-to 24-year-olds attending college in the United States.

A College Degree is Key to Economic Opportunity (Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, August 2011)

In a recent report using 2007-2009 American Community survey data, researchers from Georgetown University have replicated a previous Census study on lifetime earnings. They found that individuals with a Bachelor's degree 84% more over a lifetime than those with only a high school diploma, up from 75% in 1999.

KIDS COUNT Data Book Tracks 10 Key Indicators of Child Well-Being (Annie E. Casey Foundation, August, 2011)

According to the most recent KIDS COUNT Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, child well-being has stagnated since 2000, after improvements in the 1990s.

Food Insecurity and Childhood Food Insecurity Mapped by County (Feeding America, August 2011)

Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap project provides estimates of food insecurity at the County level combining various data sources to create a better understanding of the amount of food insecurity at the local level by income category and the food budget shortfall of individuals who are food insecure.

Wealth Gap Widens Between Racial Groups (Pew Research Center, July 26, 2011)

A recent report from the Pew Research Center describes the growing wealth gap between households of different racial/ethnic background: the median wealth of white households is 20 times that of black households and 18 times that of Hispanic households.

Despite Slight Uptick in June, Foreclosures Remain Down Compared to Previous Six Months (RealtyTrac, May 10, 2011)

According to RealtyTrac, there was a 4% increase in the number of foreclosure filings in June (default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions) compared to May 2011.

Civil Rights Data Collection Provides Insight into Disparities in Educational Opportunities (U.S. Dept. of Education, June 30, 2011)

The U.S. Department of Education released data on disparities in educational resources and opportunities for students across the country.

REACH U.S. Survey Provides Data on Health Disparities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, May 20, 2011)

The CDC conducts the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health across the U.S. (REACH U.S.) Risk Factor Survey annually in minority communities. The survey focuses on black, Hispanic, Asian (including Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander), and American Indian populations and is conducted in 28 communities located in 17 states.

Unemployment at 9.2% in June (Bureau of Labor Statistics, July 8, 2011)

The unemployment rate was 9.2% in June 2011, relatively unchanged from 9.1% in May.

Community Colleges Increasingly Important to Bachelor's Degree Completion (National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, June 2011)

A policy alert from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education calls attention to the increasing importance of community colleges.

Life Expectancy in the U.S. Slips in Comparison to Other Countries (Population Health Metrics, June 2011)

Based on estimated county-level life expectancy data, researchers found that the U.S. ranked 37th in the world for life expectancy in 2007.

Long-term Homelessness is Down but Family Homelessness is Up (HUD, June 19, 2011)

HUD's Annual Homeless Assessment Report provides estimates of the number of homeless persons from a point-in-time count on a single night in January 2010 and 12-month data from the Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) on the sheltered homeless. Key findings...

U.S. Students Score Poorly on History Exam (National Center for Education Statistics, June, 2011)

Results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that few students were proficient in American history: 20% of 4th graders, 17% of 8th graders and 12% of high school seniors demonstrated proficiency on the exam in 2010.

U.S. Students Score Poorly on History Exam (National Center for Education Statistics, June, 2011)

USDA Offers Online Food Desert Locator (USDA Economic Research Service, May 2011)

A new USDA website features census-tract level data on food deserts across the U.S. Food deserts are low-income communities without ready access to affordable and healthy foods.

USDA Offers Online Food Desert Locator (USDA Economic Research Service, May 2011)

A new USDA website features census-tract level data on food deserts across the U.S. Food deserts are low-income communities without ready access to affordable and healthy foods.

Housing Challenges Increase Among Renters (Joint Center for Housing Studies, 2011)

A report released this month from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University provides an in-depth look at the rental market in the U.S. and the challenges facing today's renters.

County Health Calculator (VCU Center on Human Needs, April 2011)

The Virginia Commonwealth University Center on Human Needs, together with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, have made available the County Health Calculator, an online simulation tool that shows how many lives would be saved if a county, state or the nation had the health benefits that exist in areas with higher levels of college education or income.

Health Rankings for All U.S. Counties (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, March 30, 2011)

The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have published County Health Rankings for nearly every county in the U.S. The rankings measure health based upon multiple factors, from graduation rates to obesity.

Food Insecurity Mapped by County (Feeding America, March 2011)

Obesity and Previous Heavy Smoking Shortening American Life Spans (National Research Council, January 25, 2011)

report from the National Research Council weighs in on factors contributing to the slower pace of improvements in longevity among men and women in the U.S. compared to other high-income countries.

Update on National Health Disparities (CDC, January 14, 2011)

The newly released report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at health disparities in social determinants of health, environmental hazards, health care access and health outcomes.

One in Ten Veterans Living in Poverty Used a Shelter or Transitional Housing in 2008-2009 (HUD, February, 2011)

A new report on veteran homelessness by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides data on the extent and nature of homelessness among veterans in the United States.

Steep Increase in Worst Case Housing Needs (U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, February 2011)

The newly released report Worse Case Housing Needs 2009 finds a steep increase in housing-related hardships from 2007 to 2009. During this period the number of renters experiencing worst case needs jumped by more than 20%, from 5.9 million to 7.1 million.

Interactive Food Atlas (USDA, Economic Research Service, January, 2011)

USDA's Your Food Environment Atlas is a web-based mapping tool that allows users to compare U.S. counties in terms of their "food environment" - factors such as proximity to grocery stores and restaurants, food expenditures, food insecurity, food assistance, food prices, health, physical activity, and socio-economic characteristics.

Homelessness Increased in 2009 (National Alliance to End Homelessness, January 2011)

State of Homelessness in America analyzes annual "point-in-time" homelessness counts which take place in January of each year. The 2009 count found that 656,129 people were homeless --or 21 people per 10,000 people in the general population.

Number of Food Stamps (SNAP) Participants Continues to Rise (USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, December 2, 2010)

The most recent year for which data are available (2010) shows the highest number of participants in the Food Stamp (now called SNAP) program's history, at 40.3 million participants on average per month. The average monthly number of SNAP participants has grown...

More Households Used Food Pantries and Nutrition Programs During Recession (USDA, Amber Waves, December 2010)

Data from the Current Population Survey show that more households sought additional food resources from public and private sources during the recession. Since 2001, the number of households that reported obtaining emergency food from a food pantry has risen, with the largest increase occurring between 2007 and 2009.

Educational Achievement Disparities Among Black Males (The Council of the Great City Schools, October 2010)

A Call for Change: The Social and Educational Factors Contributing to the Outcomes of Black Males in Urban Schools presents an analysis of data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on how Black males are performing academically.

Young Women Make Strides in College Completion, but Men and Minorities Fall Behind (American Council on Education, October 2010)

A new report by the American Council on Education examines educational attainment trends by gender and race/ethnicity. It finds that each generation of young women in the United States continues to reach higher levels of postsecondary attainment. In 2007, women earned 62% of all associate degrees and 57% of bachelor's degrees.

Most Small Businesses in Ottawa County Do Not Provide Health Insurance (Mlive.com, September 10, 2010)

According to a recent survey of 800 businesses with fewer than 50 employees, some 68% of small businesses in Ottawa County do not provide health insurance to some or all of their employees. The most common reason for not offering...

The Poverty Rate Rose to 14.3% in 2009 (U.S. Census Bureau, September 16, 2010)

Key findings from the 2010 Current Population Survey show that, although median income did not change significantly between 2008 and 2009, the poverty rate did rise significantly from 13.2% to 14.3%.

19.3% of American Children Are Underinsured (New England Journal of Medicine, August 2010)

A recently published analysis of the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health found that 19.3% of American children (14.1 million) were underinsured in 2007. That is more than the number of children who were uninsured (3.4 million) and the number who had insurance during only part of the year (7.6 million).

Report on Food Insecurity Among America's Children (National Center for Children in Poverty, August 2010)

The National Center for Children in Poverty released a report entitled "Who Are America's Poor Children: Examining Food Insecurity Among Children in the United States." The report that looks at how many children face food insecurity, factors associated with food insecurity, consequences of...

Some 320,000 to 400,000 Gay and Transgender Youth Experience Homelessness Each Year (Center for American Progress, June 2010)

According to a recent report from the Center for American Progress on homelessness among gay and transgender youth, research finds that gay and transgender youth are strikingly overrepresented among homeless youth.

Number of Elderly Homeless Expected to Increase 33% in Ten Years (National Alliance to End Homelessness, April 2010)

According to estimates made by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, homelessness among the elderly is projected to increase by 33 percent from 2010 and 2020.

The Number of Homeless Grew in the Third Quarter of 2009 (HUD, February 24, 2010)

Based on data from the end of September 2009, the number of sheltered homeless people increased 8 percent since June of last year across nine areas -- Continuums of Care (COCs) -- being followed quarterly by HUD

New Survey Results on Hunger in the U.S. (Food Research and Action Center, January 26, 2010)

The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) has released a report, with data collected by Gallup on Hunger in America. Data on hunger were gathered from more than 530,000 households, providing estimates on hunger in every Congressional District and 100 of the country's largest metropolitan areas through December 2009.

The Number of People Living on Food Stamps with No Other Income Has Increased Dramatically (New York Times, January 2, 2010)

About six million Americans receiving Food Stamps (SNAP) report no other income, an increase of about 50% over the past two years.

As SNAP Usage Soars Across The US, Many Become First-Time Recipients (New York Times, November 29, 2009)

A new analysis of county-level SNAP (Food Stamps) usage across the country shows widespread change. With more than 36 million recipients, the program is expanding at a rate of about 20,000 people per day.

Interactive Map of SNAP Usage by County (New York Times, November 29, 2009)

The SNAP program (Food Stamps) now helps feed 1 in 8 Americans and 1 in 4 children across the United States. Nonetheless, there are wide disparities across states in the percentage of eligible people receiving aid.

A Closer Look at Homelessness by Geography (National Alliance to End Homelessness, September 29, 2009)

An analysis of Continuum of Care homelessness data by the National Alliance to End Homelessness looks at the geographical distribution of homeless families, non-chronically homeless individuals, and chronically homeless individuals, and their status as sheltered or unsheltered.

Food Insecurity in Households with Children (USDA, September 21, 2009)

A new report by the USDA Economic Research Service highlights the prevalence of food insecurity in households with children and the characteristics food insecure households.

Poverty Rate Increased in 2008 as Median Income Declined (U.S. Census Bureau, September, 2009)

A newly released report from the Census Bureau presents data collected in 2009 related to income, poverty and health insurance coverage. The findings reflect the impact of the current recession on American households in 2008.

Surge in Homeless Pupils Strains Schools (New York Times, September 5, 2009)

Large increases in the number of homeless students has led school districts to make extraordinary efforts to keep kids in school, from providing special transportation to helping families locate temporary shelters.

The Number of People Receiving Food Assistance Continues to Rise (USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, September 4, 2009)

The monthly number of people receiving SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps) has risen in almost every month since February 2007, from 26.2 million to 35.1 million in June 2009. The number of households receiving SNAP has increased from 11.6...

Disparities in Rural Health are Increasing (USDA Economic Research Service, August 17, 2009)

Research from the USDA Economic Research Service finds that the gap in mortality, disability, and chronic disease between metro and non-metro areas has increased since 1989.

Another Measure of Food Insecurity Among Children (Children's HealthWatch, August 2009)

Data collected in the Children's HealthWatch sample shows an increase in food insecurity among families with young children from 18.5% in 2007 to 22.6% in 2008. They also find that children who are food insecure are 30% more likely to be hospitalized, 90% more likely to be in fair or poor health, and nearly twice as likely to have iron deficiency anemia.

The New Face of Homelessness (Washington Post, August 15, 2009)

An article in the Washington Post highlights the increase in homelessness as a result of the economic downturn, which has left homeless many families and individuals who previously had steady jobs and housing. Women now make up 81% of adults...

A Study Funded by the USDA Finds That the School Breakfast Program is Utilized by the Most Vulnerable Children (USDA, July 2009)

Children utilizing the School Breakfast Program tend to be among the most vulnerable, yet some 38% of food insecure children do not participate. The program appears to enhance food security among families at the margin and increases the probability that low-income children will eat breakfast.

The Number of Homeless Families Increased 9% in Urban Areas and 56% in Rural and Suburban Areas Between 2007 and 2008 (Washingon Post, July 12, 2009)

The total number of homeless individuals remained relatively stable during this time period, but homelessness increased among families. HUD administration officials point to the current economic crisis as the cause of the rise in homelessness among families.

HUD Will Use $1.2 billion in Stimulus Money to Fight Homelessness (Washington Post, July 10, 2009)

$1.2 billion will be distributed to more than 500 cities, counties and communities for rent relief, housing relocation and stabilization services, and administrative costs.

Homelessness Rises as School Lets Out for Summer (New York Times, July 6, 2009)

New York City homelessness officials are preparing for a surge in homelessness as school lets out. Many families have been staving off homelessness as long as possible so that children could finish the school year.

The Number of Households Receiving Food Assistance in Michigan Grew Steadily From 2006 to 2008, (Michigan Department of Human Services, 2008)

The number of households receiving food assistance in Michigan grew steadily from 2006 to 2008

Hunger in America: Michigan Findings (Mathematica Policy Research Inc. for America's Second Harvest, 2006)

America's Second Harvest network provided emergency food aid for an estimated 1,083,100 different people in Michigan in 2005. Approximately 165,700 different people in Michigan received emergency food assistance in any given week.

USDA Releases Report on Food Deserts in the United States (Economic Research Service, USDA, June 2009)

The USDA studied communities with limited access to affordable and nutritious food. They found that a relatively small percentage of households lack access to a supermarket or large grocery store: 2.3 million households in the United States (2.2%) live more than a mile from a supermarket and do not have access to a vehicle.

Demand for Emergency Food Up 31% Since Last Year in the Los Angeles Region (Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, June 2, 2009)

Statistics recently published by the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank reveal that the demand for emergency food assistance continues to increase, up 31 percent in the past year.

SNAP (Food Stamp) Participation by County (Michigan Department of Human Services, May 2009)

After increasing 145% from January 2000 to January 2009, the Michigan food assistance caseload continued to increase through May 2009, with a total of 718,277 cases. The table below shows the number of food assistance cases per county.

January 2009 Homelessness Count Shows Increases Across the Country (National Alliance to End Homelessness, May 2009)

A map prepared by the National Alliance to End Homelessness shows point in time homelessness counts across the country, highlighting areas that have experienced increases and decreases in the number of homeless....

A Patchwork of Aid Provides Uneven Support to the Needy in the US (New York Times, May 11, 2009)

Research on US programs for the needy (i.e., welfare, unemployment, housing assistance, Food Stamps and health insurance), published by the New York Times, reveals that as millions of people seek aid, they are finding a complex system that reaches some and rejects others.

Federal Expenditures for Food Assistance Increased 11% in FY 2008 (USDA Economic Research Service, April 2009)

The Food Assistance Landscape, recently released by the USDA, covers recent trends from the Food and Nutrition Service. It reports that the 11% increase in expenditures for food assistance programs in fiscal year 2008 was the largest percentage increase in 16...

One in Five Americans Receives Food Assistance (USDA Economic Research Service, April 2009)

The USDA's Economic Research Service has recently released an illustrated guide to research findings on nutrition assistance programs, food insecurity, food prices, food spending, global food security, healthy eating, agriculture, and more. Some of the graphs from the report are...

Homelessness Affects More Families with Children (BBC, April 15, 2009)

This BBC report describes the experiences of the increasing number of homeless families in the US, including 15,000 homeless children in New York alone.

Families Fuel Increases in Homelessness in the Washington Metro Area (The Washington Post, April 9, 2009)

The number of homeless families in the Washington metropolitan area increased 15 percent in the past year, while the number of homeless individuals declined.

Report Card on Homeless Children in America (The National Center on Family Homelessness, 2009)

A recent report by the National Center on Family Homelessness provides estimates of homelessness among children, estimating that more than 1.5 million children are homeless each year (one in every 50 American children).

Cities Deal With a Surge in Shantytowns (New York Times, March 25, 2009)

This link opens a New York Times article on the rising number of homeless encampments in cities across the country. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/us/26tents.html...

Drought Drives Up Unemployment and Hunger in California's Central Valley (New York Times, February 21, 2009)

This link opens a New York Times article on the effects of drought in California's Central Valley.

Demand at Food Banks Increases (New York Times, February 19, 2009)

This link opens a New York Times article on the rising demand for food bank assistance across the United States.

Free and Reduced-Price School Breakfast Program Reaches More Students (Food Research and Action Center, January 2009)

The Food Research and Action Center released a report on the national School Breakfast Program for the school year 2007-2008.

More Children Are Receiving Free and Reduced Price Lunches at School (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, January 28, 2009)

Although the growing number of children receiving free and reduced price lunches at school signals increasing levels of need as the nation faces an extended economic crisis, it also indicates that millions of children who may face food insecurity at home have access to meals at school.

Participation in Food and Nutrition Programs Increased from 2004 to 2008 (USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, January 28, 2009)

According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of people participating in food and nutrition programs (including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the free school lunch program, and WIC) increased steadily between 2004 and 2008, with...

Rising Foreclosures Create a Housing Crisis for Millions of Families (RealtyTrac, January 19, 2009)

The number of home foreclosure filings continued to climb in 2008. The number of foreclosures in 2008 was 81% higher than in 2007, and the 2007 rate was 75% higher than in 2006 (for a total 2-year increase of 225%).

States Ranked by Two-Bedroom Housing Wage (National Low Income Housing Coalition, December 2008)

The Housing Wage is the full-time hourly wage one would need to earn in order to pay what the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates to be the Fair Market Rent for an apartment, spending no...

Survey of School Districts Shows Dramatic Increase in the Number of Homeless Students (National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth and First Focus, December 2008)

About 20% of school districts participating in a voluntary survey identified as many homeless students in the beginning of the 2008/2009 school year as they had seen over the course of the entire previous year.

Demand on Food Banks Increases (Feeding America, December 18, 2008)

Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest), a national hunger-relief charity, conducted a local impact survey of 160 food banks in the U.S. in 2008. All of the food banks reported an increase in demand for food over the past year, with estimated increases ranging from 29% to 38%

Cost of Basic Food Plan Increases (Food Research and Action Center, December, 2008)

While the cost of food rose by 7.5 percent from October 2007 to September 2008, the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan (the mix of food items on which low-income people rely) rose even faster. Over the same time period, the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan rose by 9.4 percent.

Demand on Food Banks Increases (US Conference of Mayors, December 2008)

The U.S. Conference of Mayors surveyed 25 cities between October 1, 2007 and September 30, 2008. Most cities (95%) reported an increase in demand for emergency food over the past year.

Federal Spending on Food Programs Increases from 1990 to 2007 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 Statistical Abstract, December 2008)

Federal spending on food programs increased significantly between 1990 and 2007.

Record Number of Americans Are Using Food Stamps (Reuters, December 3, 2008)

This link opens a Reuters article on the rising number of Americans receiving Food Stamps (SNAP) assistance. In September 2008 one in 10 Americans were participating in the food stamp program.

Health Risks Are Associated with Poor Nutrition Among Low-Income Children (Journal of the American Dietetic Association, November 2008)

In an article entitled "Diabetes Risk, Low Fitness, and Energy Insufficiency Levels among Children from Poor Families," published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in November 2008, Dr. Trevino and colleagues report that 1,402 low-income students from...

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