Pandemic relief

A swing sits empty on a playground outside in Providence, R.I. Experts say the end of the expanded child tax credit was a key factor in the big rise in child poverty.

National

Child poverty more than doubles — a year after hitting record low, Census data shows

4:58pm September 12, 2023

by Jennifer Ludden

Experts point to the expanded child tax credit as key to this poverty yo-yo. When it ended, many lower-income families struggled to pay their bills or buy enough food.

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Idaho removed nearly 10,000 people from Medicaid in the pandemic's first years when enrollees couldn't be reached. The episode previews what could occur in other states after April 1, when a COVID-era coverage mandate ends.

Health & Safety

Idaho dropped thousands from Medicaid early in the pandemic. Which state's next?

5:01am February 27, 2023

by Rachana Pradhan

The federal agency that oversees Medicaid suggested Idaho wasn't trying hard enough to reach beneficiaries before letting their coverage lapse. Consumer advocates fear that could happen again.

Nutritionist Shaunté Fields (center) and bus driver Treva White (behind Fields, on the bus) deliver meals to children and their families in Seattle. When schools closed because of COVID-19, Seattle Public Schools began distributing breakfast and lunch to

Millions of children will miss healthy school meals when pandemic relief expires

4:24pm March 21, 2022

by Allison Aubrey

A boost in funds and flexibility in how food is prepared and packaged was a lifeline for kids coping with hunger. But these measures, passed in response to COVID-19, expire in June, with no extension.

Los Angeles International Airport and SoFi Stadium employers spoke with potential job applicants at a job fair in Inglewood, Calif., in September. About 19% of all households in an NPR poll say they lost all their savings during the COVID-19 outbreak, and

Black and Latino families continue to bear pandemic's great economic toll in U.S.

5:06pm October 25, 2021

by Laurel Wamsley

A new poll finds more than 55% of Black and Latino households have faced serious financial problems in recent months. And more than a quarter have depleted their savings.

Akira Johnson has been facing eviction because her landlord would not accept payment from South Carolina's rent and utility assistance program.

Why rent help from Congress has been so damn slow getting to people who need it

7:00am October 12, 2021

Congress approved $47 billion to pay back rent and prevent evictions. But after nearly 10 months, the vast majority of that money has not reached the millions of people who desperately need it.

Mehran Mossaddad is a single dad who drives Uber for a living. But when the pandemic hit, he stopped because he couldn't leave his daughter home alone. He fell behind on rent and is facing eviction.

Millions Could Face Eviction With Federal Moratorium Ending And A Logjam In Aid

1:41pm June 10, 2021

by Chris Arnold

Congress approved $47 billion to help struggling renters avoid eviction. But that money still isn't reaching many who need it. And an eviction moratorium from the CDC expires at the end of the month.

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