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Article
Material Assistance: Who Is Helped by Nonprofits?
Social Work Research (2012)
  • Baorong Guo, University of Missouri–St. Louis
Abstract
Although a vast amount of literature on the characteristics of public assistance recipients exists, little is known about the characteristics of the clientele of nonprofits that provide material assistance. This study examines the question of who receives material assistance from nonprofits. Three panels of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (1996, 2001, and 2004) adult well-being module were used to see if the use of nonprofit assistance is associated with individual and household characteristics, type of material hardship, and the use of other sources of assistance. Results show that poverty status, education, area of residence, and public program participation have a significant association with nonprofit material assistance, regardless of the type of material hardship and the use of other sources of assistance. These associations stayed relatively stable during the years of observation. It is interesting that households headed by an individual with college education were more likely than those headed by an individual without a high school diploma to receive material assistance from nonprofits. These findings may help nonprofits develop appropriate assistance programs and reach target populations.
Publication Date
September 1, 2012
DOI
10.1093/swr/svs010
Citation Information
Baorong Guo. "Material Assistance: Who Is Helped by Nonprofits?" Social Work Research Vol. 36 Iss. 3 (2012) p. 167 - 179
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/baorong-guo/11/