Providing a Safety Net

Grant

A financial award given by a government agency to a private group or individual to carry out a specific task--generally for charity or to help out the poor

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Once called "Aid to Families with Dependent Children", the new name for public assistance to needy families

4 government programs that help the poor

TANF--Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, Workers Compensation Insurance

How does US tax laws provide an incentive to help the needy?

Taxpayers can deduct donations from their income taxes

Poverty threshold

an income level below that which is needed to support families or households

Medicaid

covers poor people who are unemployed or not covered by employer's insurance plan

cash transfers

direct payments of money to eligible poor disabled, or retired people; ex. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Social Security, unemployment insurance, worker's compensation

faith-based initiative

faith-based organizations, charities, and community groups can compete for federal funds

unemployment insurance

funded by federal and state government, provide money to eligible workers who have lost jobs, must show that you've made efforts to get work

In-Kind Benefits

goods and services provided for free or at greatly reduced prices

welfare

government aid to the poor

Medicare

health insurance for the elderly and disabled

worker's compensation

program provides a cash transfer of state funds to workers injured on the job, most employers pay worker's compensation insurance

What is the goal of government welfare programs

the government collects money in the form of taxes and redistributes some to the poor

Social Security

the program collects payroll taxes from current workers and then redistributes that money to current recipients. People who receive this cannot work because they are disabled.