American Enterprise Institute

Georgia's favorite halloween candy is getting more expensive

Key Points

Candy and chewing gum prices have increased by 38% in just the last five years. These costs have even outpaced the 25% increase in grocery prices during the same period.
With rising costs of living, many Georgia families are struggling to cover their basic needs. This leaves them with little extra to buy fun treats like Halloween candy.
Georgia policymakers can help put money back into Georgians’ pockets by fixing regulations that make housing unaffordable, removing barriers to good jobs, and restructuring safety net programs to help people find rewarding work.

As Halloween approaches, Georgia families usually look forward to making great memories involving irresistibly adorable costumes and big candy hauls. Many of us know—maybe even from our own childhood experiences—that trick-or-treaters often cheer with delight when they find their favorite sweets in their candy bags.

Halloween is the season for treats. It’s the biggest day of the year for candy sales, slightly surpassing Valentine’s Day. Data on consumer purchases shows that Georgia’s favorite Halloween candies are Life Savers, Jolly Ranchers, and Trolli gummies, with M&M’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups following close behind.

Most of us indulge in these sweet treats every now and then, especially around Halloween. But for many Georgia families, candy is becoming hard to afford.

Candy and chewing gum prices have increased by an astonishing 38% over the last five years. That’s even more than grocery prices, which have gone up 25% during the same period.

Halloween candy prices have gone up 38% in just the last five years.

Candy and chewing gum prices, January 2021 to July 2025

For chocolate treats in particular, recent bouts of bad weather and crop diseases have damaged cocoa trees around the world. This has led to a cocoa shortage that has driven up prices.

High costs like these are making it difficult for some Georgians to give their children and their young neighbors the happy and memorable Halloween they’re hoping for.

The struggle to afford life in Georgia (beyond Halloween candy)

Many low- and middle-income families in Georgia are struggling to cover the basic costs of living, as prices for just about everything seem to be rising. The increasing costs add extra hardship to the many barriers that already impact people’s well-being and their ability to afford the occasional fun extras like Halloween candy.

Shortage of affordable housing: At least 94 of Georgia’s 159 counties don’t have enough housing for their residents. The shortage is driving up prices and making affordable homes hard to come by. High mortgage rates, rising costs of construction materials, and a big increase in Georgia’s population since 1980 are contributing to the problem. Restrictive local regulations regarding land use and infrastructure, including roads and water lines, are making the housing shortage even more severe.

Barriers to work and upward mobility:About a quarter of prime age (25-54) adults aren’t working in 96 Georgia counties. Many of these Georgians are facing limited economic opportunities in their communities. And some workers feel forced to stay in low-paying jobs to remain eligible for the safety net benefits that protect their family’s well-being. These difficult situations keep people from rising out of poverty and growing their income.

Access to sufficient food: In 2024, about 1.4 million Georgians, or 13% of the state’s population, received support from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help them buy food. Of those SNAP participants, 69% were part of families with children, and most had incomes below the poverty line. While Georgia families can use SNAP benefits to buy candy, meeting basic needs is the priority for most.

Policy solutions Georgia can’t afford to ignore

Georgia lawmakers have the ability to make valuable reforms that would help people have more money in their pockets for family expenses.

Fewer housing regulations: To increase the supply of lower-priced houses, local leaders in Georgia need to allow greater flexibility in lot sizes in new subdivisions. They should also grant more permits for varied housing types—like duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes—and for additional homes near commercial centers. These changes would enable builders to construct more affordable homes.

Reduced occupational licensing requirements: Georgia policymakers have many opportunities to lower barriers to meaningful work and upward mobility, including by reducing occupational licensing requirements. These licenses are typically mandatory for certain professions. By implementing licensing reforms, lawmakers could open more doors for workers, streamlining processes and removing some of the exclusions for people who have been incarcerated.

Revamped welfare system: To improve Georgia’s welfare system, state lawmakers should explore a “One Door” strategy for managing safety net and workforce services. In this scenario, both benefits and job training support would be linked together in a single location. This would provide welfare recipients with a clear path back into the workforce and toward financial independence.

These vital policy changes would strengthen and stabilize Georgia families, helping to lift them above the poverty line and making it possible for them to thrive, even in the face of rising costs. Strong families, in turn, would help their communities prosper. And with more opportunities to flourish, life would be sweeter for Georgians—not just at Halloween but all throughout the year.

Additional Resources

Eliminating the Benefit Cliff and Achieving Savings for Taxpayers: A Reform Proposal for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(American Enterprise Institute)

End Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility in SNAP and Address Benefit Cliffs
(American Enterprise Institute)

State Occupational Licensing Index 2025
(Archbridge Institute)

Georgia: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)

A Better Way to Get Welfare Recipients Back into the Labor Force
(City Journal)

Non-Working Adults Concentrated in Georgia’s Distressed Communities
(Georgia Center for Opportunity)

Solving the Food Assistance (SNAP) Benefits Cliff
(Georgia Center for Opportunity)

Short Supply: How Many More Homes Does Georgia Need?
(Georgia Public Policy Foundation)

SNAP Data Tables
(U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service)

Image Credit: Canva

Reforming the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program can help families get short-term help without discouraging long-term goals for work and financial independence.

Key Points

SNAP’s benefit cliffs discourage work and career growth by abruptly cutting off assistance when recipients earn even modest income increases, trapping families in financial instability and reducing workforce participation.
Proposed reforms aim to eliminate benefit cliffs through gradual benefit reductions, clear exit points, and adjusted benefit levels, encouraging financial independence without penalizing career advancement.
Comprehensive SNAP reform benefits all stakeholders, empowering workers, stabilizing families, addressing labor shortages for businesses, and potentially reducing program costs by $30 billion annually.

Benefit cliffs discourage work and trap families in long-term financial struggles. A new policy solution offers a way out.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one of the largest anti-poverty programs in the U.S., providing over 41 million Americans with critical food assistance in 2024. But for many recipients, a system designed to support often ends up trapping—with significant barriers known as benefit cliffs.

These cliffs occur when small increases in income result in recipients suddenly losing their SNAP assistance, leaving them in a worse financial position for working more hours or earning an income boost. For example, a single parent’s modest hourly raise might lead to a benefit cut that completely offsets their increased take-home pay.

The negative ripple effects extend far beyond individuals and households. Benefit cliffs reduce workforce participation and make it harder for plenty of small businesses and industries to find the workers they need to grow and serve customers.

A new proposal for reform, developed with research by Erik Randolph at the Georgia Center for Opportunity in collaboration with Angela Rachidi of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), offers a way to dismantle SNAP benefit cliffs and restore the program’s original mission—helping families achieve financial independence and stability.

A new SNAP reform report from American Enterprise Institute and Georgia Center for Opportunity shows how improve access to work and reduce costs to taxpayers.

SNAP’s design discourages career growth among recipients

SNAP is meant to help low-income families put food on the table. But the system unintentionally penalizes those who pursue better wages or career opportunities.

For many recipients, earning extra income—not just large raises but even modest increases as one gains skills or works more hours—means abruptly losing SNAP benefits altogether. Instead of slowly tapering down, benefits “fall off a cliff” as income rises.

This financial disincentive creates a dilemma for households relying on SNAP. While accepting additional shifts or applying for a higher-paying position could signify career growth, it may financially set them back without SNAP assistance offsetting basic expenses.

The economic impact is widespread. With fewer prime-age workers, employers encounter labor shortages, and their ability to operate efficiently is compromised. Workforce productivity also declines when workers are stuck in part-time, lower-skilled jobs rather than advancing to higher economic opportunities. The result is a cycle that makes it harder for families to break free from reliance on public assistance programs.

New SNAP reform proposals offer a way forward

Research by AEI and GCO outlines actionable steps to eliminate benefit cliffs while maintaining SNAP costs close to historical levels. These recommendations include changes to critical factors within the program’s structure to allow for a smoother, gradual reduction in benefits as income rises.

Key reforms involve adjusting the following elements of SNAP’s benefit system:

Adjust participants’ cost-sharing responsibilities. The proposed plan would reduce the benefit reduction rate from 30% to 18%, making it easier for families to transition off benefits.
Cost-sharing should begin as soon as income increases. Right now, deductions delay cost-sharing, which creates benefits cliffs when income limits run out. The new plan is a middle ground, starting benefit reductions earlier but at a lower rate. While it might lower benefits for many families, benefit cliffs are eliminated or reduced.

These structural adjustments effectively close the gap between earned income and benefit loss, removing financial penalties for participants who work more hours or accept higher-paying opportunities.

A win for workers, families, small businesses, and taxpayers

Simplifying and improving SNAP’s benefit structure solves major labor market challenges. For recipients, reforms encourage workforce participation and career advancement, empowering them to climb the economic ladder without fear of a financial setback.

For employers, these changes help restore a steady supply of available workers, addressing hiring difficulties in industries that rely on hourly, shift-based, or entry-level staff. Additionally, SNAP reform creates fiscal balance while allowing the government to save money long term—potentially reducing program expenses by 27% or $30 billion annually.

GCO continues to investigate ways to improve safety-net programs to help families escape poverty, and these recommendations for SNAP are an important piece of those efforts. Employment is one of the most reliable ways to break cycles of poverty, yet benefit cliffs trap too many families in stagnant economic conditions. Eliminating these barriers will strengthen the workforce, stabilize families, and create economic momentum that benefits us all.

Download the full report from American Enterprise Institute and Georgia Center for Opportunity here.

Best practices for reducing crime can empower California to build safer communities through policy.

Key Points

Government shutdowns occur when Congress doesn’t pass a set of bills that give federal agencies and services the approval and funding necessary to operate.
Government shutdowns and political wrangling distract from the real issues facing the poor and delay much-needed safety net reforms that would help people move out of government dependency.
There are bipartisan solutions Congress can act on to better serve low-income and marginalized communities.

Government shutdowns occur when Congress doesn’t pass a set of bills that give federal agencies and services the necessary funding to operate. Without this approval, agencies must pause all non-essential activity until Congress takes action. Government shutdowns often go hand-in-hand with political conflicts among federal leaders. When this dynamic takes hold in D.C., government shutdowns become, at best, a distraction from the real issues facing the poor and, at worst, a roadblock to helping people achieve stability and economic opportunity.

What happens during a government shutdown?

During a government shutdown, several disruptions happen:

Nutrition programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), are the most at-risk from a government shutdown.

Benefits from Social Security, Medicare, and most other need-based programs still go out, but shutdowns often lead to furloughs or reduced staffing levels in federal agencies that administer these programs. As a result, beneficiaries may experience longer processing times for applications, appeals, and inquiries.

Many federal employees are temporarily out of a job. They are instructed not to show up to work and aren’t paid during the shutdown window, though they typically receive back-pay once a shutdown ends.

Essential government employees, such as members of the military, air traffic controllers, and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, are expected to keep working, usually without pay.

Americans may experience delays in government-administered processes, such as permits and passports.

Government shutdowns and safety net programs

For many Americans who currently need assistance from programs like SNAP, WIC, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Social Security, a government shutdown can be a fearful prospect. The worry of losing essential benefits and facing greater financial hardship can take a significant toll on individuals and families in low-income households and communities.

Impact of a shutdown on SNAP benefits

SNAP, the nation’s second largest safety net program, helps eligible families buy food. Around 42 million Americans currently receive this vital support. The federal government pays for SNAP benefits, and funds are delivered to the states for distribution to the individuals and families who need them.

During a government shutdown, there are typically enough funds available to provide SNAP benefits for about a month. Few shutdowns in American history have gone on that long, so recipients usually don’t notice any change in financial assistance.

But on November 1, 2025, the current government shutdown surpassed the one-month point, and SNAP recipients didn’t receive any benefits for the coming month. To address this critical situation, the federal government will use its emergency funds to provide SNAP support. Unfortunately, this will only be a short-term solution, and it isn’t likely to cover all the SNAP assistance the government would usually distribute during the month.

It’s important to note that a pause in SNAP benefits during a government shutdown hurts not only individuals and families, but also local economies. Food stamps help support the businesses where people spend them, like grocery stores and farmers markets. Every dollar of SNAP benefits generates about $1.54 in economic activity, but this grinds to a halt when the government doesn’t fund this essential public assistance.

Impact of a shutdown on WIC benefits

WIC provides families with free healthy foods, breastfeeding support, nutrition education, and referrals to other services. Almost 7 million pregnant women, new moms, and children up to age 5 currently depend on WIC support.

The 2025 shutdown has put WIC benefits in jeopardy, and federal funding for this crucial assistance becomes more uncertain the longer the government remains closed. In the short term, federal officials are using revenues from other sources to keep the program running.

Government shutdowns can push people struggling with hardships further below the poverty line. Recent data shows that a pause in crucial welfare assistance would cause an additional 2.9 million Americans to fall into poverty in late 2025. This would also put future generations at risk of becoming trapped in long-term cycles of poverty.

During a government shutdown, community support for our neighbors is critical. Churches, food banks, charities, and other nonprofit organizations can increase their efforts to provide food to people in need to help them through the difficult time, and community members can provide urgently needed donations.

There is a solution Congress can act on to create a better pathway out of poverty

A government shutdown may not cut off food stamps, WIC, Social Security, or other safety net benefits immediately. However, low-income and vulnerable communities still suffer.

In the short term, lawmakers need to better serve people living on the margins by being willing to compromise and end the government shutdown. This will make it less likely that the struggles of low-income Americans get lost in political conflicts.

In the longer term, the shutdown is a reminder that we need a better safety net system—one that encourages economic opportunity and stability instead of leaving millions of Americans exposed to the ups and downs of federal government turmoil. By ending the shutdown, Congress could take up the more important priority of One Door reform.

In the current welfare system, recipients are forced to navigate multiple, disconnected programs, eligibility requirements, and caseworkers—a maze that becomes a trap for welfare dependence instead of a secure path out of poverty.

The One Door Model makes it possible for the safety net to be a bridge rather than a barrier to opportunity. It does away with the disconnected programs and integrates human services with work support so beneficiaries who are capable of working have a clear, supportive, and accessible path to personal well-being and meaningful jobs.

The One Door Model provides welfare recipients with a greater sense of direction, dignity, and purpose, empowering people to become self-sufficient and enabling them to truly flourish.

FAQs about the government shutdown

Will SNAP benefits be paid in November 2025?

The federal government plans to use its emergency funds to provide SNAP benefits in November 2025. Unfortunately, these funds aren’t likely to cover all the SNAP assistance the government would usually distribute during the month. The payments will also be delayed because states will have to adjust their automated systems to distribute reduced amounts.

Will WIC benefits be paid in November 2025?

The federal government has currently made funds available to pay WIC benefits for the first few weeks of November 2025.

Are Head Start programs affected by the shutdown?

Head Start programs provide early learning, health, and well-being services to families with young children. The programs receive funding from the federal government, and many are closing due to the shutdown. Some are staying open by providing limited services, reducing staff, or shortening operating hours.

Where can Georgia families go for food assistance?

Foodfinder.us is a free, nonprofit website and mobile app that helps people find nearby food pantries and free food programs. Users can easily search for local support by entering their zip code.
Feeding Georgia is a statewide network of food banks that collaborates to end hunger in Georgia. Its website offers helpful links to local food resources.

Where can Georgians get help to find work quickly?

The Georgia Center for Opportunity’s BETTER WORK program partners with employers and local resources throughout Gwinnett County and the city of Columbus to connect people with training and support services and to help them find meaningful work.

How are government shutdowns related to welfare benefits cliffs?

A benefits cliff occurs when an individual, family, or household loses more in benefits from government assistance programs than it gains from additional earned income. When a person experiences a benefits cliff, they are thrust into serious difficulties: losing housing, going hungry, fearing that their children will be taken by Child Protective Services, and more. A government shutdown can have similar effects to benefits cliffs because it can cause big delays or cuts to essential safety net program payments. This creates significant financial hardship for people who are struggling and can push them deeper into poverty.

What are the political games in D.C. costing communities?

Americans deserve better than having their day-to-day well-being threatened by political dynamics in D.C. Shutdowns result when federal leaders devote energy to political distractions instead of bipartisan opportunities to fix our broken safety net system. This costs millions of people the chance for a more fulfilled, self-sufficient life.

We need a safety net system that gives people hope and independence from D.C. To make that possible, the current government shutdown needs to end so legislators can get back to the work of serving people—truly putting citizens’ needs first and creating policies that allow Americans to escape poverty and flourish.

Key Points

Mr. Rowe has emerged as a dynamic voice on education, upward economic mobility, family formation, the Success Sequence, and adoption.
The family Breakthrough event will focus on the importance of people of all ages knowing their ABCs — Attitude, Behavior, and Choices.
The event is on Thursday, August 25, from 10:30am to 12:30pm at Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta in Duluth, Georgia. Lunch is included.

There is a close link between the quality of your relationships and the quality of your work life. To further explore and explain this link, the Georgia Center for Opportunity team is honored to welcome Ian Rowe — senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute — to our upcoming family Breakthrough event focused on family and relational health.

The event is on Thursday, August 25, from 10:30am to 12:30pm at Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta in Duluth, Georgia. Lunch is included.

The family Breakthrough event will focus on the importance of people of all ages knowing their ABCs — Attitude, Behavior, and Choices. Martin Seligman, the father of human flourishing, says that to flourish is to find fulfillment in our lives, to accomplish meaningful and worthwhile tasks, and to connect with others at a deeper level. In essence, to live “the good life.” But “the good life” is impossible if your relationships are broken and you’re living in poverty.

Ian Rowe will address the link for us. Mr. Rowe has emerged as a dynamic voice on education, upward economic mobility, family formation, the Success Sequence, and adoption. The Success Sequence is the basic idea that those who follow a three-step process — graduate from high school, wait until marriage for children, and get a full-time job — are virtually guaranteed to not be in poverty. They also have a strong likelihood of entering the middle class.

Mr. Rowe is also co-founder of Vertex Partnership Academies, a new network of character-based International Baccalaureate high schools opening in the Bronx in 2022; the chairman of the board of Spence-Chapin, a nonprofit adoption services organization; and the co-founder of the National Summer School Initiative.

“When it comes to fighting poverty and creating opportunity, Ian Rowe is one of the most effective and eloquent leaders in the United States,” shares Randy Hicks, GCO’s president and CEO. “His leadership isn’t just based in theory and his expansive knowledge, but in his hands-on experience in leading and serving schools that are transforming lives.”

Randy will guide the discussion with Mr. Rowe at the family Breakthrough event. Topics will include:

What is the correlation between broken relationships and poverty?
Can you have one without the other?
If there were no broken relationships, would poverty exist?

Family speakers -2

Key Points

Event is Thursday, August 25 from 10:30am to 12:30pm
Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta in Duluth, Georgia
Dive into the Attitudes, Behaviors, and Choices (ABCs) of individuals and families

Our upcoming event focused on family and relational health features a line-up of speakers you’ll definitely want to come out to hear.

As a reminder, the family Breakthrough event sponsored by the Georgia Center for Opportunity is on Thursday, August 25, from 10:30am to 12:30pm at Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta in Duluth, Georgia.

At the event, we will do a deep dive into the Attitudes, Behaviors, and Choices (ABCs) of individuals and families and how those relate to relational and, more broadly, community health. We want you there!

Here are our featured speakers:

Kristen Hypolite, COO of Every Woman Works

Kristen is an engineer by trade and utilizes her talents in helping the women of EWW help reengineer who they are.

Dr. Natalie Looney, Principal of Summerour Middle School

Natalie has served as head of Summerour Middle School since 2019 but has worked in public education for over 20 years. She has been married for 23 years and has two wonderful children.

Michael Doyne, Parent Instructional Coordinator at Lilburn Middle School

Michael has worked as the Parent Instructional Coordinator at Lilburn Middle School for 13 years. He speaks English and Spanish, and he enjoys travel and hanging out with his friends and family.

Ian Rowe, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute

At AIE, Ian focuses on education and upward mobility, family formation, and adoption. Ian is also the co-founder of Vertex Partnership Academies, a new network of character-based International Baccalaureate high schools opening in the Bronx in 2022; the chairman of the board of Spence-Chapin, a nonprofit adoption services organization; and the cofounder of the National Summer School Initiative. He concurrently serves as a senior visiting fellow at the Woodson Center and a writer for the 1776 Unites Campaign.

family breakthrough

Transforming broken relationships into flourishing families

Key Points

Many people are experiencing broken relationships at home, work, and school.
Helping people have healthy relationships will result in nothing less than full community transformation.
The event is on Thursday, August 25, from 10:30am to 12:30pm at Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta in Duluth, Georgia.

Family makes us stronger

The world is filled with negative headlines right now. These headlines reflect the real pain we’re all experiencing in our communities. Today, more than ever, we are experiencing broken relationships at home, work, and school.

In dating relationships, Pew Research tells us that nearly half of U.S. adults say dating has gotten harder for most people in the last 10 years. As for relationships at work, Gallup finds that 60% of people are emotionally detached at work and 19% are miserable. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to increased rates of divorce.

We know that a key way to restore community health is by fostering healthy relationships. These relationships are the bedrock of our culture. When they suffer, we all suffer. Helping people have healthy relationships will result in nothing less than full community transformation.

That’s the theme of an upcoming Breakthrough event focused on family and relational health sponsored by the Georgia Center for Opportunity. The event is on Thursday, August 25, from 10:30am to 12:30pm at Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta in Duluth, Georgia.

Speakers at the event include:

Kristen Hypolite, COO of Every Woman Works

Dr. Natalie Looney, Principal of Summerour Middle School

Michael Doyne, Parent Instructional Coordinator at Lilburn Middle School

Ian Rowe, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute

Family makes us stronger

Each of us has within us the option of having the right attitude will drive our behavior which allows us to make better choices. When you leave the session, you’ll have a deeper understanding of what family formation means and the reason it is important.

We are inviting everyone to attend, whether you represent a school, a church, a government agency, institution of local government, or nonprofit, we want you at this event.

The Best Administrative Structure for Welfare

By Erik Randolph

When someone needs financial help or workforce training from the government, where do they go?

If we just allowed people to navigate federal programs on their own, the average person would be completely overwhelmed.

mother and daughter in poverty

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, there are more than 80 federal assistance programs for low-income persons and 43 federal employment and job-training programs at the federal level, with little overlap. Just listing the programs would exceed the word limit for a typical blog.

Fortunately, states have some control over the process for some of the larger programs, like food stamps and Medicaid, that serve millions of Americans.

Georgia’s Gateway Strategy

Compared to many states, Georgia is ahead. The state government has spent years and $262 million to streamline its eligibility systems of means-tested programs into an integrated system known as the Georgia Gateway.

Here there is just one “door” to enter to qualify for some of the big federal means-tested programs entrusted to the states to administer.

The awarding-winning Gateway allows individuals to apply for ten programs across four state agencies, including food stamps; food packages from the Women, Infants, and Children Program; Medicaid; subsidized childcare; and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

The Department of Human Services runs the eligibility system at an annual operating cost of about $62 million, but the department does not administer all the programs themselves. For example, the Department of Community Health administers the Medicaid program, and the Department of Early Care and Learning administers the subsidized childcare program.

Integrated eligibility systems are far more convenient for the customers, requiring them to enter only one door, instead of up to five separate doors in the case of Georgia. It also streamlines the application process for the customer.

On the administrative side, all the hard work is done behind the scenes. The automated systems can share information between programs. Moreover, the technology sets up the state to accomplish future streamlining, consolidation, and reform.

Despite all these advantages of the Gateway, there is still room for improvement. Take Utah’s system, for example.

Utah’s Integrated System

Although Georgia is ahead of many states, Utah may be the furthest ahead.

As explained in a recent American Enterprise Institute report, Utah streamlined 23 workforce programs across six state agencies into a Department of Workforce Services.

In addition to helping customers with employment, Utah treats basic welfare programs as support services. These include food stamps, subsidized childcare, financial assistance, and medical programs. Customers also can file claims for unemployment insurance and apply for disability services.

The Utah system is clean and easy for the customer. Its “no wrong door” policy allows easy access to help in finding employment and receiving support services. It also sends a clear message that Utah prioritizes work as a solution.

Behind the scenes, Utah works with various federal agencies to make the system work. It is not an easy task. It requires creative solutions and continual effort on part of the state to take on the many hassles that come with dealing with the federal government, including the burdensome task of securing “waiver” approvals to federal law from the federal agencies.

However, the goal is worthwhile. It creates an easier experience for the customers, at overall less administrative cost.

Much More Work Needs to Be Done

Utah is showing the way, but much more work needs to be done.

There are still welfare benefits that the federal government does not allow states to administer. These program benefits are additional doors that people must enter, requiring additional effort to apply for those benefits and hoops to jump through to get assistance.

In other words, while Georgia has integrated eligibility systems, and Utah has gone even further with its integration, there are federal government programs outside the control of the states. These include the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Supplemental Security Income, and public housing.

Furthermore, as we have written about, the rules themselves still need fixing to eliminate welfare cliffs and marriage penalties.

Nevertheless, progress is being made, and the work continues on.

Do you have experience with the Georgia Gateway and other assistance programs? Or perhaps experience in another state? Share your experiences in the comments below.
Erik Randolph is Director of Research at the Georgia Center for Opportunity. This blog reflects his opinion and not necessarily that of the Georgia Center for Opportunity.

List of Programs per the Government Accountability Office, Reports GAO-15-516 and GAO-19-200.

21st Century Community Learning Centers
Additional Child Tax Credit
Adoption Assistance
Adult Education Grants to States (Adult Education and Family Literacy Act)
Affordable Care Act Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program
American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Career and Technical Education – Basic Grants to States
Chafee Foster Care Independence Program
Child and Adult Care Food Program (lower-income components)
Child Care and Development Fund
Child Support Enforcement
Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants
Commodity Supplemental Food Program
Community Based Job Training Grants
Community Development Block Grants
Community Service Employment for Older Americans
Community Services Block Grant
Compensated Work Therapy
Consolidated Health Centers
Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program
Earned Income Tax Credit
Education for the Disadvantaged- Grants to Local Educational Agencies (Title I, Part A)
Emergency Food and Shelter Program
Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Cooperative Agreements (Brownfield Job Training Cooperative Agreements in 2011report)
Exclusion of Cash Public Assistance Benefits
Family Planning
Federal Pell Grants
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
Federal TRIO Programs
Federal Work-Study
Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
Foster Care
Foster Grandparent Program
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs
Grants to States for Workplace and Community Transition Training for Incarcerated Individuals
H-1B Job Training Grants
Head Start
Higher Education: Aid for Institutional Development programs and Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions programs
HOME Investment Partnerships Program
Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Project in 2011 report)
Homeless Assistance Grants
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS
Improving Teacher Quality State Grants
Indian and Native American Program (Native American Employment and Training in 2011 report)
Indian Education – Bureau of Indian Education

Indian Education—Formula Grants to Local Educational Agencies
Indian Health Service
Indian Housing Block Grant
Indian Human Services (Division of Human Services)
Job Corps
Job Placement and Training Program (Indian Employment Assistance in 2011 report)
Job Training, Employment Skills Training, Apprenticeships, and Internships
Legal Services Corporation
Local Veterans’ Employment Representative Program
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Low-Income Housing Tax Credit
Maternal and Child Health Block Grant
Mathematics and Science Partnerships
d settings.
Medicaid
Medical Care for Low- Income Veterans Without Service-Connected Disability
Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Program
National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
National Farmworker Jobs Program
National School Lunch Program (free and reduced- price components)
Native American Career and Technical Education Program (Career and Technical Education – Indian Set-Aside in 2011 report)
Native Employment Works (Tribal Work Grants in 2011)
Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program
Nutrition Assistance Program for Puerto Rico
Nutrition Service for the Elderly
Older Americans Act Grants for Supportive Services and Senior Centers
Older Americans Act: National Family Caregiver Support Program
Projects with Industry
Public Housing
Reentry Employment Opportunities (Reintegration of Ex-Offenders in 2011 report)
Refugee and Entrant Assistance – Discretionary Grants (Refugee and Entrant Assistance – Targeted Assistance Discretionary Program from 2011 is now part of this program)
Refugee and Entrant Assistance – Targeted Assistance Grants
Refugee and Entrant Assistance – Voluntary Agencies Matching Grant Program
Refugee and Entrant Assistance State/Replacement Designee Administered Programs ((Refugee and Entrant Assistance – Social Services Program from 2011 is now part of this program)
Registered Apprenticeship
Rental Housing Bonds Interest Exclusion
Rural Education Achievement Program
Rural Rental Assistance Payments
Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program
School Breakfast Program (free and reduced-price components)

Second Chance Act Technology-Based Career Training Program for Incarcerated Adults and Juveniles (Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative in 2011 report)
Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers
Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance
Senior Community Service Employment Program
Social Services and Targeted Assistance for Refugees
Social Services Block Grants
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
State Children’s Health Insurance Program
State Supported Employment Services Program
State Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program (Rehabilitation Services – Vocational Rehabilitation Grants to States in 2011 report)
Summer Food Service Program
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Supplemental Security Income
Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities
Supportive Housing for the Elderly
Tech Prep Education State Grants
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
The Emergency Food Assistance Program
Title I Migrant Education Program
Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers
Transition Assistance Program
Transitional Cash and Medical Services to Refugees
Tribal Technical Colleges (United Tribes Technical College in 2011 report)
Tribally Controlled Postsecondary Career and Technical Institutions
Veterans Pension and Survivors Pension
Veterans’ Workforce Investment Program
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Vocational Rehabilitation for Disabled Veterans in 2011 report)
Voluntary Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit- Low-Income Subsidy
Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service (Employment Service/Wagner-Peyser Funded Activities in 2011 report)
Water and Waste Disposal Systems for Rural Communities
Weatherization Assistance
Work Opportunity Tax Credit
Workforce Investment Act Adult Activitiesa
Workforce Investment Act Youth Activitiesb
WIOA National Dislocated Worker Grants (WIA National Emergency Grants in 2011)
WIOA Youth Program (WIA Youth Activities in 2011 report)
Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations
Youth Partnership Programs (Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organizations in 2011 report)
YouthBuild

DISINCENTIVES FOR WORK AND MARRIAGE IN GEORGIA’S WELFARE SYSTEM

Based on the most recent 2015 data, this report provides an in-depth look at the welfare cliffs across the state of Georgia. A computer model was created to demonstrate how welfare programs, alone or in combination with other programs, create multiple welfare cliffs for recipients that punish work. In addition to covering a dozen programs – more than any previous model – the tool used to produce the following report allows users to see how the welfare cliff affects individuals and families with very specific characteristics, including the age and sex of the parent, number of children, age of children, income, and other variables. Welfare reform conversations often lack a complete understanding of just how means-tested programs actually inflict harm on some of the neediest within our state’s communities.

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The unintended consequences of generous unemployment benefits

By David Bass

This year has seen some of the most generous unemployment benefit checks since the Great Recession in 2007-2009—and with good reason. As the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has put 20 million Americans out of work, and over half-a-million right here in Georgia, the need for robust help is pressing.

Currently, the maximum weekly unemployment benefit available in Georgia is $665, a combination of $365 in state compensation and $300 in federal dollars (due to a recent executive order from President Trump). Earlier this year, the total package was even more generous at $965 due to $600 in federal unemployment checks (a benefit amount that expired on July 31).

This means that an unemployed individual could qualify for the equivalent of a $16.63 per-hour job right now. Not every worker will qualify for this maximum amount because unemployment insurance payments are based on recent earnings over a 52-week period. According to U.S. Department of Labor data, Georgia’s average unemployment is closer to $225 a week, for a combined value of $525 per week when mixed with federal dollars.

What’s more, the federal $300 per-week payments are only guaranteed for three weeks, although it is likely unemployed individuals will receive them for a longer period of time. Also, workers who are receiving less than $100 per week in state unemployment payments are ineligible for the $300 federal payments, meaning that many low-income, part-time, or seasonal workers will likely not qualify.

Do higher unemployment payments have unintended impacts?

These more generous unemployment payments raise an important question: Are there unintended consequences? The answer is clearly yes.

As scholars with the American Enterprise Institute have documented, generous unemployment checks contribute to both delays in workers re-entering the economy and ultimately the economic rebound itself. Workers are not to blame—if your only job options pay less than unemployment compensation, it makes sense to delay joining the workforce again. In many situations, this is the case: One analysis from the University of Chicago concluded that two-thirds of workers eligible for unemployment benefits would receive a benefit amount that exceeds their previous pay.

These unintended impacts are another example of a welfare cliff, the idea that welfare programs often punish efforts to work—due to dramatic drops or “cliffs” in benefits as a recipient’s income increases, even by just cents per hour. For more information on welfare cliffs, visit WelfareCliff.org.

Georgia employers are feeling the crunch

If our goal with unemployment insurance is to serve as a bridge for workers during hard times to propel them back into employment, then our current response is not working properly.

Buffalo Rock Pepsi in Columbus, Georgia, shared with the Georgia Center for Opportunity team that it has had a challenging time this year filling positions for warehouse workers and warehouse coordinators. The resulting shortage of workers has put a strain on existing staff.

Ankerpak—a third-party packaging, fulfillment, and storage facility also based in Columbus—is experiencing similar roadblocks. The company has struggled to fill assembly line positions, and it identifies the high value of unemployment benefits as a primary reason. “Due to challenges presented by lack of staffing, we are nearly 20 people short on a regular basis. We are unable to meet our customers’ demands and/or deadlines, putting us at risk of losing business during these trying times,” the Ankerpak team shared with us.

A way forward

We are not advocating against unemployment insurance or proposing cuts, but it’s clear the existing system has unintended negative impacts. Ultimately, the right question to ask is this: What is the purpose of a public service like unemployment insurance? If it is to truly be a safety net, we must address the problem of when a safety net becomes a snare to keep hard-hit populations trapped in cycles of poverty.

Any true solution to this problem must be local and homegrown. This is where Hiring Well, Doing Good (HWDG) comes in. HWDG connects local job seekers with the training and support needed to not just find a job, but a job that leads to a sustainable wage and a meaningful career. Cooperating on a local level, HWDG brings together individuals, companies, nonprofits, and other service providers to solve unemployment and help people achieve a flourishing life.

Ultimately, the goal of unemployment insurance should be as a bridge to return to the workforce. Local initiatives like HWDG are a catalyst for that return reentry into the labor force in a better job with an upward trajectory.

DISINCENTIVES FOR WORK AND MARRIAGE IN GEORGIA’S WELFARE SYSTEM

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VISIT WELFARECLIFF.ORG

Is there a solution to poverty? That’s the question GCO president and CEO Randy Hicks discussed with AEI president Robert Doar as a keynote at Breakthrough 2019.

One powerful step forward in the anti-poverty fight is the Success Sequence: Helping as many people as possible attach to employment, stable family lives, and education. And solutions come locally.

“We don’t really succeed in helping people move up unless we have a really great and strong civil society and faith-based institutions helping people on a one-to-one basis,” Robert Doar shared. “Government can write a check. Government can fund a program. But it can’t help a person get a job or help a child learn to read. That happens at a local level in an individual experience.”

On Wednesday, September 11, nearly 200 community leaders, nonprofit practitioners, business people, and concerned citizens gathered at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta for one unifying purpose: To find solutions that restore dignity and hope to the most vulnerable in our society.

Renewing civil society

In a particular highlight, American Enterprise Institute President Robert Doar and best-selling author Tim Carney discussed how to reverse the breakdown of civil society and community in modern America. Attendees were also treated to insights from on the key question of how to measure nonprofit effectiveness from Heather Reynolds, managing director of the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities at Notre Dame.

Employment

We also heard from community leaders working hard on the ground level to help as many Georgians as possible achieve the Success Sequence.

Employers such as Southwire and its 12 for Life apprenticeship program are reaching thousands of at-risk youth. By 2019, the program has graduated over 2,900 students and had an immense impact on Carroll County, Georgia, helping to increase the high-school graduation rate from around 60 percent to in the 90 percent range.

We also heard the heartwarming story of Michael Jones and Thrive Farmers. Jones founded the for-profit business to not only provide top quality coffees and teas, but to ensure the farmers who grow these crops are fairly treated and compensated.

It’s challenging to adequately address employment without talking incarceration and prisoner reentry, so we also heard from Doug Ammar of the Georgia Justice Project on smoothing pathways to careers for ex-offenders.

Education and family

Attendees heard key ideas on how to strengthen the first step of the Success Sequence—get a good education—from leaders at organizations and schools like Youth Entrepreneurs, the Path Project, and Bright Futures Academy.

The Education panel at Breakthrough 2019

Rounding out our time together, we were inspired by change-makers closer to home—leaders at FaithBridge Foster Care, Connections Homes, and Foster Care Alliance who are committed to the goal of finding a loving home for every foster child.

Breakthrough Going Forward

There was a lot of great conversations and we will be posting full session videos in the near future. Stay tuned and be sure to sign up for our newsletter to get updates as they become available.

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American Enterprise Institute

Key Points

The struggle to afford life in Georgia (beyond Halloween candy)

Policy solutions Georgia can’t afford to ignore

Additional Resources

Key Points

SNAP’s design discourages career growth among recipients

New SNAP reform proposals offer a way forward

A win for workers, families, small businesses, and taxpayers

Key Points

Key Points

Here are our featured speakers:

Transforming broken relationships into flourishing families

Key Points

Family makes us stronger

Speakers at the event include:

Family makes us stronger

Renewing civil society

Education and family

Breakthrough Going Forward

Let’s stay connected

Links

Programs

Address

Key Points

The struggle to afford life in Georgia (beyond Halloween candy)

Policy solutions Georgia can’t afford to ignore

Additional Resources

Key Points

SNAP’s design discourages career growth among recipients

New SNAP reform proposals offer a way forward

A win for workers, families, small businesses, and taxpayers

Key Points

What happens during a government shutdown?

Government shutdowns and safety net programs

Impact of a shutdown on SNAP benefits

Impact of a shutdown on WIC benefits

There is a solution Congress can act on to create a better pathway out of poverty

FAQs about the government shutdown

Will SNAP benefits be paid in November 2025?

Will WIC benefits be paid in November 2025?

Are Head Start programs affected by the shutdown?

Where can Georgia families go for food assistance?

Where can Georgians get help to find work quickly?

How are government shutdowns related to welfare benefits cliffs?

What are the political games in D.C. costing communities?

Related reading

Key Points

Key Points

Here are our featured speakers:

Transforming broken relationships into flourishing families

Key Points

Family makes us stronger

Speakers at the event include:

Family makes us stronger

The Best Administrative Structure for Welfare

When someone needs financial help or workforce training from the government, where do they go?

If we just allowed people to navigate federal programs on their own, the average person would be completely overwhelmed.

Georgia’s Gateway Strategy

Utah’s Integrated System

Much More Work Needs to Be Done

List of Programs per the Government Accountability Office, Reports GAO-15-516 and GAO-19-200.

DISINCENTIVES FOR WORK AND MARRIAGE IN GEORGIA’S WELFARE SYSTEM

Do higher unemployment payments have unintended impacts?

Georgia employers are feeling the crunch

A way forward

DISINCENTIVES FOR WORK AND MARRIAGE IN GEORGIA’S WELFARE SYSTEM

Renewing civil society

Education and family

Breakthrough Going Forward

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