Pam Fessler

House, Senate Consider Cuts In Food Stamp Program

Pam Fessler — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:26:00 +0000

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Linda Wertheimer.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And I'm David Greene. Good morning. Food stamps are used by one in seven Americans. The average recipient receives about $133 a month. Now if that sounds hard to live on, the House and Senate are considering steep cuts in food stamp program - or SNAP benefits, as they're known - as part of a major farm bill. Depending on one's perspective, the cuts would either reform the program by closing loopholes, or cause severe hardship for hungry children and senior citizens.

Advocates Struggle To Reach Growing Ranks Of Suburban Poor

Pam Fessler — Mon, 20 May 2013 07:07:00 +0000

Poverty has grown everywhere in the U.S. in recent years, but mostly in the suburbs.

Sequester Puts Some Needing Housing Aid 'Back To Square One'

Pam Fessler — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:56:00 +0000

Congress decided last week to ease the effects of the across-the-board federal spending cuts on travelers upset over airport delays. But low-income Americans who rely on government housing aid are still feeling the pain.

Housing authorities across the country have all but stopped issuing rent vouchers as they try to deal with the cuts known as sequestration.

Changes Help San Diego Homeless, But Long Road Remains Ahead

Pam Fessler — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 05:06:00 +0000

Two years ago, we reported on an ambitious campaign to end homelessness in downtown San Diego, a city with one of the largest homeless populations in the nation. The effort involved an unprecedented coalition of business leaders, community groups and government agencies.

At the time, some advocates for the homeless — after years of seeing other, failed efforts to get people off city streets — were skeptical that the campaign would amount to much.

Free Tax Help Protects Low-Income Filers From Pricey Loans

Pam Fessler — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:15:00 +0000
As this year's tax deadline approaches, hundreds of thousands of low-income Americans are relying on free services to help them with their returns.
Tax preparation fees — even a few hundred dollars — can be a burden for those living on the margins. And taxpayers desperate for cash can fall prey to high-cost loan offers that eat into their refunds
At the free tax-preparation site at the main library in Washington, D.C., about 30 taxpayers wait for help from volunteers.
Millicent Gamble is hoping for a big refund this year.