Just published in @jpube.bsky.social:

"In-kind government assistance and crowd-out of charitable services: Evidence from free school meals"

By @kristaruffini.bsky.social, @orgulozturk.bsky.social, @ppekgun.bsky.social

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

#econsky #publiceconomics

Virtual registration is still open for the "Minimum Wages & Monopsony Power" conference! Featuring an all-star lineup of labor economists, this one-day event also honors career of Dr. Michael Reich.

📅 June 6, 2025 | 8am - 5pm
🔗 Register today: irle.berkeley.edu/events/minim...

Register now for the Minimum Wages & Monopsony Power Conference at UC Berkeley on June 6.

Join leading scholars for this one-day conference, which also honors Michael Reich’s influential career.

Space is limited. Register: irle.berkeley.edu/minimum-wage...

#EconSky #MinimumWage #LaborEconomics

What does all of this mean? 1st, government and community orgs are imperfect substitutes (intuitively, given different pop'ns, types of goods offered) but changes in gov programs can still have meaningful effects for the charitable sector. 5/5

This reduction in use ISN'T because there's less food available to distribute -- if anything -- if anything, donations increase, particularly from large/corporate donors. So factors other than pure altruism play a role in donation decisions (at least in the short-run). 4/5

Big takeaway: even though families with kids are a small share of food bank clients and prepared meals at school != grocery items at food banks, food bank use falls (blue markers). 10% expansion in free school meals lowers food bank use about 1%. 3/5

We look at how food bank use and donations change when more kids have access to free school meals by matching universal school meal introduction to admin data on food distribution and donations from the US's largest network of food banks nationwide 2/5

New updated/overhauled paper 🧵: Governments and community orgs often provide similar services (think: nutrition, cash/emergency financial aid, housing services), but the specific populations served and goods provides differ. What happens to the charitable sector when gov services increase? 1/5

Georgetown has put together resources for federal workers who may be facing a transition in jobs. These include various seminars and workshops, as well as tuition scholarships providing a discount on many master's programs and certificates. Please spread the word to anybody who might benefit.

Honest Q: For the 700k DCians who don't have representation, ideas other than calling our (non-existent) elected officials?

(EHN's vote only counts in committee -- so when y'all call your reps, additional plea for DC statehood is much appreciated, though a lil further down the priority list)

... As a preprint 🤔

Just published in the Journal of Public Economics:

"The effects of lump-sum food benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic on spending, hardship, and health"

By @laurenhlb.bsky.social, @kristaruffini.bsky.social, &
Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

It's a wrap! whirlwind conference streak #2024APPAM #2024SEA; so many insights. Shout out to @chloergibbs.bsky.social @lindsbullinger.bsky.social @kristaruffini.bsky.social & K. Rittenhouse; keep an 👀 for this crew & their work on resources to children. sea.mymeetingsavvy.net/program#sess...

The month after P-EBT receipt, food hardship fell by ~40% and mental health among mothers improved, providing some of the 1st evidence that 1x increases in in-kind benefits can help offset negative shocks. N/N

P-EBT gave families ~$300/student to use for groceries during spring/summer 2020 when schools were closed due to COVID. Families spent the $ more slowly than SNAP AND P-EBT helped smooth the "SNAP-month" 2/N

📈📉 Just published in @jpube.bsky.social with @laurenhlb.bsky.social & Diane Schanzenbach: We examine how 1-time, in-kind food vouchers thru Pandemic EBT affected family well-being 1/N

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

It’s WALES submission/registration time again! One of the best days of the late-winter if you’re a labor-adjacent economist around DC - check it out!

Join us! This is a great opportunity for ABDs/postdocs interested in policy-relevant research. The best of all worlds: RCT, admin data, great collaborators!

apply.interfolio.com/150652

How does housing assistance affect child welfare involvement?

Wi/ 6mo, family reunification ⬆️ 68% among kids in foster care, w/ more child welfare involvement among kids in in-home care. Plus shelter use ⬇️ 1/2 & rapid-rehousing ⬆️2x.

Full report:

www.capolicylab.org/bringing-fam...