Why People Stay Stuck in Poverty: Understanding the Welfare Cliff
James Whitford
Co-founder & CEO
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Jumping off the welfare cliff can feel like an impossible leap – and for many, the fear of what might happen makes them back away from the ledge. But it’s the only way to experience freedom, and we must help those in poverty see that.
John’s Story: Facing the Welfare Cliff
Before fighting poverty became my full-time occupation, I practiced physical therapy for ten years.
The patients I treated suffered a variety of injuries and illnesses. I remember one who was recovering from a severe case of Guillain-Barre, an auto-immune disorder where the body attacks its own nervous system. He suffered complete paralysis such that he couldn’t speak or breathe on his own. Fortunately, Guillan-Barre usually reverses course and most people make a full recovery — and that’s what happened to my patient.
During his rehabilitation, I asked what it was like to be fully conscious but completely dependent on machines and people to stay alive. As you can imagine, he admitted being fearful, i.e., what if something broke? What if someone didn’t check on him? In other words, dependency and fear are the opposite of freedom and flourishing — which is worth remembering in our efforts to help the poor.
It reminds me of John, whose story is hard to imagine. He was abused by his father, sexually molested by his stepfather, and witnessed a murder in his home — all before he was thirteen. It’s not hard to understand why he ended up homeless.
By the time I met him, he was middle-aged and suffered hand tremors from his drug addiction. He knew he needed something different and wanted information about our long-term recovery and work-ready program, Forge.
One of the program’s expectations turned him away almost immediately: He had to give up all government support and work toward self-sufficiency. At the time, he had a HUD housing voucher, food stamp card, and social security disability. He called it his “government package.” Later he told me giving it up was the hardest decision he’d ever made. It was like jumping off a cliff.
Speaking of cliffs …
What Is the Welfare Cliff?
Just as my patient was dependent on machines and a medical team, John (like millions of others in our nation) was dependent and therefore afraid of making the leap to self-sufficiency. He feared falling off what some call the Welfare (or Benefits) Cliff, i.e., the perceived risk of loss when one considers working for greater earnings.
That means one of our key tasks in helping people achieve self-sufficiency is to help them realize their fear is an illusion. Which leads us to …
Three Key Takeaways for Helping People Take the Leap
- Reassure them. Although the cliff seems very real, taking the leap isn’t as bad as they think. In fact, in states where welfare work requirements are strictly enforced, income more than doubles through increased work hours and increased pay.
- Be vocal. As individuals who care about real justice for the poor, be a voice for policy reform. If you are a member of the True Charity Network, you have an opportunity to share your stories and opinions with policy leaders, making an impact at the federal and state level. Your voice in the policy space is vital to reducing dependence on the government.
- Self-evaluate. Dependency is not always the government’s fault. It can be ours, too. Evaluate your programs and referrals carefully. Ask tough questions. Talk candidly with your team about whether your efforts create dependency or enable freedom. Remember, we weren’t made to be dependent. We were made to flourish.
And in case you’re wondering: John went on to land a full-time job as an over-the-road truck driver. He took the leap — and made it!
Now let’s go out there today, fight poverty, and win!
Join the True Charity movement and help lead a resurgence that restores dignity and breaks cycles of dependency in our nation! We each have a part to play. Find yours by visiting truecharity.us.
James Whitford is co-founder and executive director of Watered Gardens Ministries in Joplin, Mo. and True Charity, which exists to champion the resurgence of civil society in the fight against poverty. He is also the author of “The Crisis of Dependency: How Our Efforts to Solve Poverty Are Trapping People in It and What We Can Do to Foster Freedom Instead.”
