Community-based organizations can help government agencies bridge the access gap for immigrant families

Public benefit programs, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), can improve child health outcomes by reducing food insecurity and keeping children out of poverty. Still, many immigrant families—particularly those with mixed status—have difficulty accessing these programs.

Partnerships between community-based organizations (CBOs) and government agencies can help bridge access gaps to better serve low-income immigrant families, suggests a recent report by the New York University Institute of Human Development and Social Change.

CBOs, working with government agencies, can act as a centralized location for low-income immigrant families to enroll in public benefit programs. CBOs are ideal for engaging with hard-to-reach populations because they are entrenched in their communities and serve as a trusted source of information. CBOs can explore these resources on cultural competency to help ensure they are responsive to the needs of immigrant communities.