$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America

In Chapter 3 the authors discuss the findings of a survey that found adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are very common in the American population. ACEs can include “emotional, physical, and sexual abuse; emotional and physical neglect; and certain adverse household characteristics” (78). Children living in poverty are vulnerable due to their housing insecurity and the overall instability in their lives, which means they are at an even greater risk of such adverse experiences.

Prior to the welfare reform in 1996, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) was the main welfare program in the United States. It was first created during the Great Depression and over the years was expanded to help more people in need. At the program’s height in 1994, it covered 4.6 million adults and 9.6 million children. Families with children had the legal right to claim cash assistance through AFDC if they had economic need. The program was not popular with the American public, however, as it was believed to reward indolence and single motherhood. The 1996 reform ended AFDC and replaced it with a new welfare program, TANF.