Drawing on unique survey data from almost 1,500 faith-based and secular service organizations in three cities, a book by Poverty and Place conference presenter Scott W. Allard examines which agencies are most accessible to poor populations and looks at the profound impact of unstable funding on assistance programs.

In Out of Reach: Place, Poverty, and the New American Welfare State (Yale, 2009), Allard argues that the new system has become less equitable and reliable, and he concludes with practical policy recommendations that address some of the more pressing issues in improving the safety net.

Scott W. Allard is a Professor at the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington. His presentation at the Center for Poverty Research Poverty and Place conference is “Places in Need:  The Geography of Poverty and the American Safety Net.”