Safety Net Programs in Missouri

Missourians across the entire state and from a variety of backgrounds and living situations rely on safety net programs for the basic essentials to support themselves and their families. Research suggests that social safety net programs lower the national poverty rate by almost 14 percenti In fact, safety net programs are estimated to lift 1.1 million Missourians, including 250,000 children, out of poverty. This brief summarizes several programs that are considered part of the safety net as well as demographics of Missourians that receive the benefits