COVID-19
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Louisianans have faced incredible challenges as a result of the Covid-19 public health emergency and the economic downturn it caused over the last year. Despite this, the state budget is in strong financial shape thanks to past federal relief, and will soon be strengthened further by another round of federal funds.… Read more...
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The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is a $1.88 trillion package that brings the latest critically needed federal response to the economic devastation and public health crisis caused by the Covid-19 global pandemic.… Read more...
Despite compelling evidence of high levels of food insecurity among college students, SNAP (formerly, Food Stamps) has long excluded full-time students from eligibility for food assistance benefits unless they meet certain narrow qualifications. During the pandemic, while college students have had an even harder time meeting their basic needs, two of the main qualifications that students have traditionally used for SNAP access — working at least 20 hours a week or receiving a work-study award — have become far less available, as the economy has slowed and campuses have transitioned to virtual instruction.… Read more...
Nearly 1 in 6 Louisianans aged 16 to 24 are neither working nor going to school. The state’s youth disconnection rate of 16.4% – representing 92,100 children and young adults – is the fourth-highest in the United States, according to a new report by Measure of America, A Portrait of Louisiana 2020: Human Development in an Age of Uncertainty. … Read more...