This fact sheet takes a look at the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in its 25th year and its role in the lives of babies in poverty.
Babies grow best in stable environments, but for families living in poverty, difficulties feeding, clothing, and maintaining housing for babies can undermine their development. Though assistance can help families bridge the gap, few families who could benefit from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program’s basic assistance actually receive it, and the persistent effects of racism and sexism in the program’s history continue to contribute to lower allocation of TANF funds to direct assistance in states with higher populations of Black and other families of color.
