More than the creation of additional government welfare programs or increased funding for existing ones, marriage—raising children with a married mother and father in the home—will protect them against poverty.
20 Percent of Children Are on Food Stamps. Here’s How to Change That
By Heritage Foundation Alexandra Gourdikian ——Bio and Archives--February 4, 2015
According to a Census Bureau report released last week, 20 percent of American children received food stamps last year. More than half these children, approximately 8.6 million, reside in a single-parent household.
This report is a stunning reminder of the vital role marriage plays in combating child poverty and the expansion of welfare rolls. Children in single-parent homes are about six times as likely to be poor than their peers in married-parent households.
Today, more than 40 percent of children are born outside of marriage. Most unwed childbearing occurs to women with a high school education or less–those who will struggle most as single parents. Restoring a marriage culture is essential to reducing poverty and enabling American families to pursue self-sufficient livelihoods.
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