The TANF Program: A Social Safety Net for Women and Families

In support of our mission to ensure economic and personal security for all women and girls, Legal Momentum advocates that public benefits programs provide an adequate safety net that is equitable and responsive to the needs of women and their families. Central to this goal is improving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the main anti-poverty welfare program.  Currently, benefits are insufficient, work requirements fail to account for childcare needs, and barriers prevent even those who are eligible from receiving desperately-needed assistance.

Legal Momentum works to reduce barriers, increase oversight, and strengthen the program’s contribution to the end-goal of reducing poverty. We have built the EndpovertyNow Coalition, a national coalition in support of reform and produced acclaimed briefing papers on TANF-related policy issues.