In-kind Government Assistance and Crowd-out of Charitable Services: Evidence from Free School Meals
Many community organizations provide services similar to government programs, but there is limited evidence how increased government aid affects the use and availability of charitable services. This study examines how greater access to federal nutrition assistance through schoolwide free meal programs affects food bank use within the U.S.’s largest food bank network. A 10 percent increase in access to free school meals reduces the amount of food that food banks distribute by 0.9-1.4 percent, without significantly reducing donations, fundraising activity, or the amount of food available. The reduction of food bank use is only found in areas where relatively few students previously qualified for government aid. Our findings highlight that even safety net programs that serve a specific population and offer distinct services can reduce pressures on charitable organizations, particularly in areas previously underserved by government assistance.
Related
Programs
Working Groups
More from NBER
In addition to working papers, the NBER disseminates affiliates’ latest findings through a range of free periodicals — the NBER Reporter, the NBER Digest, the Bulletin on Retirement and Disability, the Bulletin on Health, and the Bulletin on Entrepreneurship — as well as online conference reports, video lectures, and interviews.
