Concentrated Poverty

supported social programs. The misery and poverty of the great depression threatened
to overwhelm all these programs. The severe Depression of the 1930s made Federal
action almost a necessity, as neither the States and the local communities, businesses
and industries, nor private charities had the financial resources to cope with the growing
need among the American people. Beginning in 1932, the Federal Government first
made loans, then grants, to States to pay for direct relief and work relief. After that,
special Federal emergency relief like the Civilian Conservation Corps and other public
works programs were started. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration
proposed to Congress federal social relief programs and a federally sponsored
retirement program. Congress followed by the passage of the 37 page Social Security
Act, signed into law August 14, 1935 and "effective" by 1939—just as World War
II began. This program was expanded several times over the years.
Economic historians led by Price Fishback have examined the impact of New Deal
spending on improving health conditions in the 114 largest cities, 1929–1937. They
estimated that every additional $153,000 in relief spending (in 1935 dollars, or $2.2
million in 2016 dollars) was associated with a reduction of one infant death, one suicide,
and 2.4 deaths from infectious disease.
War On Poverty and Great Society Programs (1960s)
Virtually all food stamp costs are paid by the federal government. In 2008, 28.7 percent
of the households headed by single women were considered poor.
Welfare Reform (1990s)
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