State governments are struggling to keep their social service programs alive. Increasingly, they are turning to charities like Shriner’s Hospital for Children, United Way, and YMCA for help keeping up with funding commitments under programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
In fact, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report issued last month, the number of state governments relying on third parties to maintain welfare funding jumped from 3 states in 2007 to 13 states in 2011. And it looks like at least 17 states will need help next year.
GAO notes that this increased reliance is due to poor economic conditions affecting stat
e and local government spending and bad employment opportunities for local residents.
Because of this added reliance on nonprofits, now is a good time to volunteer for and donate to social service organizations, which states are depending on to hold up their programs.