Tracking the consequences of Michigan's welfare experiment
More than 11,000 Michigan families were kicked off cash assistance last month in what amounted to a huge experiment in social welfare policy. No other state has removed so many families from welfare in such a short amount of time with so little notice.
Bridge Magazine is collaborating with Michigan Radio in a year-long project tracking the impact of those cuts on state government, charitable safety net providers and the families themselves.
This week, Lester Graham of Michigan Radio explains why so many lost their benefits in one fell swoop, and talks to one Bay City family confronting life after welfare:
Kicked off cash assistance by bureaucrats
Previous coverage by Bridge on "Timed out: Year one without state aid":
11,000 Michigan families confront the unknown (Oct. 20, 2011)
Cuts don't fall evenly across Michigan (Oct. 20, 2011)
Rep to recipients: 'Man up' and feed family (Oct. 20, 2011)
What will they do? (Oct. 20, 2011)
How 15,000 lost a lottery they didn't even play (Sept. 27, 2011)
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