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Source: University of Washington

On November 14 the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) at Columbia University will host an online discussion on the RSF book Places in Need: The Changing Geography of Poverty with author Scott W. Allard (University of Washington).

In Places in Need, Allard shows how the number of poor people living in suburbs has more than doubled over the last 25 years, with little attention from academics and policymakers. He draws from census data, administrative data from safety net programs, and interviews with nonprofit leaders in the Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas and finds that the suburban demand for safety net assistance has increased with the rise of single-parent households, decreases in the number of college graduates, and higher unemployment rates in the suburbs. However, many suburban social service providers do not have sufficient resources to meet this demand. Allard advocates expanding funding and eligibility for federal programs such as SNAP (food stamps) and boosting the capabilities of community-based service providers. This account of suburban vulnerability amidst persistent urban poverty provides a valuable foundation for developing more effective antipoverty strategies.

Renée Wilson-Simmons, director of the NCCP, will join Allard for the book discussion. The talk is free and open to the public with registration.

Read more about Places in Need or purchase a copy.