Columbia University finds monthly poverty on the rise

New research from Columbia University’s Center on Poverty & Social Policy uses data on families’ monthly resources to project monthly poverty rates through September. While not official poverty rates (which are calculated only annually), the researchers find that the enhanced social safety net of April and May prevented serious increases in poverty. However, as the stimulus check and enhanced unemployment benefits disappeared from families’ budgets, projected poverty increased to nearly 17 percent in September 2020. The authors note worse outcomes for children and people of color and suggest that additional federal investment is necessary to attenuate further increases. #covid-19 #racialequity