Timely and well-targeted financial help during COVID-19: an employer-community partnership for hotel workers in New Orleans

Abstract Economic disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic left many households without the income necessary to meet basic needs. We describe an innovative, community-based partnership between a financial services company, philanthropic funders, and employers to provide financial assistance to hotel workers in New Orleans who lost jobs and income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results […]

At Home and on the Brink: U.S. Parents’ Mental Health during COVID-19

Abstract Though the COVID-19 pandemic required significant changes and adaptations for most Americans, parents faced acute challenges as they had to navigate rapidly changing schooling and child care policies requiring their children to spend more time at home. This study examines the effects of COVID-19 school and workplace policies as well as environmental and economic […]

“Take my word for it”: Group Texts and Testimonials Enhance State and Federal Student Aid Applications

Abstract As the cost of college continues to rise, it has become increasingly important for students to apply for financial aid. However, many students are unaware of the benefits of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). We launched a field experiment with a non-profit organization to explore how both informational- and testimonial-type text […]

Household Spending Patterns and Hardships during COVID-19: A Comparative Study of the U.S. and Israel

Abstract The combined supply and demand shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic have created the largest consumer behavior shift in recent history, while exposing millions of households to material hardships like food insecurity and housing instability. In this study, we draw on national surveys conducted early in the pandemic to investigate the pandemic’s effects on self-reported […]

Experimental Evidence on Consumption, Saving, and Family Formation Responses to Student Debt Forgiveness

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) provides substantial financial support to low-income Universal basic income has gained renewed interest among policymakers and researchers in the U.S. While research indicates that unconditional cash transfers produce diverse benefits for households, public support lags in part due to the predicted unemployment and frivolous As policy-makers grapple with whether […]

Does a Food Insecurity Intervention Improve Perinatal Outcomes for Mother and Child? A Randomized Control Study Protocol of the Fresh Rx: Nourishing Healthy Starts Program

Ferris, D., Roll, S., Huang, J., Mathews, K., Ragain, T., Simpson, K., Jabbari, J., Gilbert, K., Frank, T., & Rothman, S. (2022). Does a food insecurity intervention improve perinatal outcomes for mother and child? A randomized control study protocol of the Fresh Rx: Nourishing Healthy Starts program. Journal of Public Health Research, 11(2), Article 22799036221102496. https://doi.org/10.1177/22799036221102496

Building Financial Capability and Assets for All

Huang, J., Sherraden, M. S., Johnson, E., Birkenmaier, J., Rothwell, D., Despard, M. R., Jones, J. L., Callahan, C., Doran, J., Frey, J. J., McClendon, G. G., Friedline, T., & McKinney, R. (2022). Building financial capability and assets for all. In R. P. Barth, J. T. Messing, T. R. Shanks, & J. H. Williams (Eds.), Grand challenges for social work and society (2nd ed., pp. 310–340). Oxford University Press.

Disparate financial assistance support for small business owners

Small business owners experienced a drastic economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Government pandemic assistance failed to reach many small business owners, especially those historically underserved by financial institutions. Drawing on a 2021 survey of 246 small business owners, the Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis descriptively examined the extent to […]

Disrupted and Disconnected: Child Activities, Social Skills, and Race/Ethnicity During the Pandemic

Abstract Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, parents reported that their children spent the majority of their time at home, which can dramatically change their activities and negatively impact their social skills. However, research has yet to uncover the relationships between changes in activities during the pandemic and children’s social skills, nor the degree to which […]

COVID-19 job and income loss and mental health: The mediating roles of financial assets and well-being and the moderating role of race/ethnicity

Abstract Prior research shows unemployment has a negative effect on mental health, yet whether this relationship is affected by financial factors is unknown. For example, having money in savings may mitigate the impact of job loss on mental health. We use structural equation modeling with data from the Socio-Economic Impacts of COVID-19 Survey with a […]

Nothing to show for it: Financial Distress and Re-Enrollment Aspirations for those with non-degreed debt

Abstract The number of individuals with student loan debt who do not earn their degrees is on the rise; nevertheless, there is little research that demonstrates their current circumstances and future aspirations. We address this knowledge gap by comparing the financial distresses and re-enrollment aspirations of student debt-holders who started college but did not earn […]

Public perceptions and the willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19: Lessons from Israel

Abstract Objectives To explore the associations between vaccine hesitancy and demographic and socio-economic characteristics, as well as perspective towards the COVID-19 and its vaccines. Methods Data were collected through four online surveys on Israel’s representative sample in March (3/2 to 3/7, n = 1517), August (8/10–8/11, n = 925; 8/18–8/22, n = 1054), and September (9/22-9/24; n=1406), 2021. We employ a […]

The Impact of Tax Refund Delays on the Experience of Hardship Among Lower-Income Households

Abstract The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) provides substantial financial support to low-income workers in the USA, yet around a quarter of EITC payments are estimated to be erroneous or fraudulent. Beginning in 2017, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 requires the Internal Revenue Service to spend additional time processing early EITC […]

The Precarity of Self-Employment among Low- and Moderate-Income Households

Abstract Many people in the United States have achieved economic stability through self-employment and are often seen as embracing the entrepreneurial spirit and seizing opportunity. Yet, research also suggests that self-employment may be precarious for many people in the lower socioeconomic strata. Drawing on a unique dataset that combines longitudinal survey data with administrative tax […]

Do Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Savings and Job Loss during COVID-19 Explain Disparities in Housing Hardships? A Moderated Mediation Analysis

Abstract Despite the array of public programs offered to help households mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, many still needed to rely on savings, credit, or other assets to make ends meet. This reality may exacerbate existing social and economic inequities because racial and ethnic minorities often have lower access to assets and […]

Introduction: The COVID-19 Shock to Our Deep Inequities: How to Mitigate the Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic affected nearly every aspect of household health, as well as the social and economic well-being of individuals and communities across the United States. Many in our society have faced and continue to face unprecedented challenges. Specifically, the pandemic put a microscope on inequities such as racial disparities in housing, health care, and […]

Crashing without a Parachute: Racial and Educational Disparities in Unemployment during COVID-19

Abstract The burden of the COVID-19 pandemic has not been shouldered equally by American families. Black and Hispanic communities have been hit the hardest, with the pandemic often exacerbating existing disparities. Using nationally representative data, we assess the economic and public health effects of the pandemic among different socioeconomic groups and whether typical sources of […]

Cut me some slack! An exploration of slack resources and technology-mediated human capital investments in entrepreneurship

Purpose In this paper, the authors explore the relationship that slack resources and technology-mediated human capital investments can have on individuals’ entrepreneurial intentions. Focusing on human capital investments that individuals make through education and work, the authors analyze the relationship among formal online learning opportunities, informal skill development in the gig economy and entrepreneurial intentions. […]

Introduction: Innovations in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: Understanding the Role of International Development Volunteers as Transnational Actors

Tiessen, R., & Lough, B. J. (2021). Introduction: Innovations in gender equality and women’s empowerment: Understanding the role of international development volunteers as transnational actors. Voluntaris, Special issue, 7–43. https://doi.org/10.5771/9783748924951-7

HomeGrown StL 4th Annual Regional Summit on the State of Opportunities for Black Boys and Young Men: Closing the Health, Growth, and Opportunity Gaps

Joe, S., Clifton, M., & Carlton-Brown, D. (2021, December). HomeGrown StL 4th Annual Regional Summit on the State of Opportunities for Black Boys and Young Men: Closing the healing, growth, and opportunity gaps (CSD Conference Report No. 21-34). Washington University, Center for Social Development, Race & Opportunity Lab, HomeGrownStL. https://doi.org/10.7936/cej1-ds84

COVID-19 Among Youth in Israel: Correlates of Decisions to Vaccinate and Reasons for Refusal

The primary aim of the present study is to examine the reasons for adolescents’ refusal to get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, and examine correlates of vaccination among adolescents aged 12–18 years in Israel. A total of 150 youth aged 12–18 years participated in the study. Following parental consent (30% response rate) from an online internet […]

Financial Shocks and Financial Well-Being: What Builds Resiliency in Lower-Income Households?

Households in the U.S. regularly experience unexpected negative income or expense shocks, and low- and moderate-income households experience these shocks at disproportionately high rates. Relatively little is known about the impact these shocks have on households’ subjective sense of financial well-being, and how access to different types of liquidity (e.g., liquid assets, credit cards, social […]

Did government benefits help Israeli households avoid hardship during COVID-19? Evidence from a national survey

At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Israel quickly introduced aggressive social distancing measures to curb the virus spread and adapted its unemployment insurance program in response to rising unemployment rates. This study examines the relationship between household income and the experience of material hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel and […]

How Did School Meal Access Change During the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Two-Step Floating Catchment Area Analysis of a Large Metropolitan Area

Jabbari, J., Chun, Y., Nandan, P., McDermott, L., Frank, T., Moreland-Russell, S., Ferris, D., Roll, S. (2021). How did school meal access change during the COVID-19 pandemic? A two-step floating catchment area analysis of a large metropolitan area. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(21), Article 11350. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111350

We Have Clean Water and Clean Air: Why Not Clean Finance, Too? A Vision for Inclusion and Equity

Huang, J., Sherraden, M., & Sherraden, M. S. (2021). We have clean water and clean air: Why not clean finance, too? A vision for inclusion and equity. In R. Boshara & I. Rademacher (Eds.), The future of building wealth: Brief essays on the best ideas to build wealth—for everyone (pp. 83–89). Federal Reserve Bank and Aspen Institute. https://futureofwealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Sec-2.pdf

Human Service Professionals: A Ready Workforce for Financial Capability

Sherraden, M. S., Huang, J., & Jones, J. L. (2021). Human service professionals: A ready workforce for financial capability. In R. Boshara & I. Rademacher (Eds.), The future of building wealth: Brief essays on the best ideas to build wealth—for everyone (pp. 193–199). Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis & Aspen Institute. https://futureofwealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Sec-3.pdf

Transforming 529 College Savings Plans: Grow Assets for Everyone, Grow the Country

Sherraden, M., & Clancy, M. M. (2021). Transforming 529 college savings plans: grow assets for everyone, grow the country. In R. Boshara & I. Rademacher (Eds.), The future of building wealth: Brief essays on the best ideas to build wealth—for everyone (pp. 251–257). Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis & Aspen Institute. https://futureofwealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Sec-5.pdf

Asset Building: Toward Inclusive Policy

Sherraden, M., Johnson, L., Clancy, M. M., Beverly, S. G., Sherraden, M. S., Schreiner, M., Elliott, W., III, Williams Shanks, T. R., Adams, D., Curley, J., Huang, J., Grinstein-Weiss, M., Nam, Y., Zhan, M., & Han, C. K. (2021, September 29). Asset building: Toward inclusive policy. In C. Franklin (Ed.), Encyclopedia of social work. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.25

Impact of COVID-19 on Households with Children

The COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruptions in employment, child care and education. As a result, both parents and children experienced a variety of hardships in their work and education. While these hardships had reverberating effects throughout households, they were not equally distributed across families with children. In this brief, we explore the effects of COVID-19 […]

Employment Changes During COVID-19

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. unemployment peaked at 14.4%. While some workers have returned to payrolls, others have been left behind. This brief examines the nuances of employment changes over the course of the pandemic and the impact of those changes on household financial well-being. Our study finds that the proportion of employees who […]

Housing Hardships During COVID-19

Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. households were burdened by the cost of rental and mortgage payments, burdens which disproportionately fell on Black and Hispanic families. Using a 5-wave survey, we examined whether disparities in housing cost burden continued throughout the pandemic and trends in how households fell behind on rent and mortgage payments. […]

The Case for a Nationwide Child Development Account Policy: A Policy Brief Developed by CDA Experts and Researchers

Cisneros, J., Clancy, M. M., Elliott, W., III, Feinstein, A., Kanter, M., Karcher-Ramos, M., Kugler, C., Peachey, J., Quint, C., Shapiro, T. M., & Sherraden, M. (2021, August). The case for a nationwide Child Development Account policy: A policy brief developed by CDA experts and researchers (CSD Policy Brief No. 21-20). Washington University, Center for Social Development.

Redesigning College Savings (529) Plans to Achieve Inclusive Child Development Accounts: A Policy Brief Developed by CDA Experts and Researchers

Cisneros, J., Clancy, M. M., Elliott, W., III, Feinstein, A., Kanter, M., Karcher-Ramos, M., Kugler, C., Peachey, J., Quint, C., Shapiro, T. M., & Sherraden, M. (2021, August). Redesigning college savings (529) plans to achieve inclusive Child Development Accounts: A policy brief developed by CDA experts and researchers (CSD Policy Brief No. 21-21). Washington University, Center for Social Development.

Lessons on Policies That Strengthen Household Financial Resilience to Overcome Shocks: A Keynote Address by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana

Bawumia, M. (2021, July). Lessons on policies that strengthen household financial resilience to overcome shocks: A keynote address by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana (CSD Perspective No. 21-17). Washington University, Center for Social Development.

The Impact of State Earned Income Tax Credit Increases on Material and Medical Hardship

The federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) provides substantial financial assistance to low- and moderate-income workers and has been shown to reduce poverty and encourage employment. Many U.S. states have also implemented their own EITCs to supplement the federal tax credits. Leveraging unique administrative and survey data and employing a difference-in-differences approach, this study investigates […]

Material hardship among lower-income households: The role of liquid assets and place

Lower-income households are at risk for material hardship, particularly amidst the economic fallout of COVID-19. Where one lives (e.g., suburb, small town) may affect this risk due to variable access to resources, yet the evidence is mixed concerning the influence of place. We used a pooled, national cross-sectional sample of 66,046 lower-income tax filers to […]