Biden School's Students win poster competition

At the University of Delawares annual GIS day on November 14th, Biden School Graduate students, Talla Cisse and Max Holdsworth's poster map presentation on child poverty in Delaware, was selected as the winner for the poster competition. The project explored three programs of social assistance, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Purchase of Care child support. The team used ArcMap to present information on child participation in these programs by ZIP codes in Delaware, along with child poverty data. Using data from KIDS COUNT in Delaware and the American Community Survey, their results showed that child poverty is greatest in downtown ZIP codes of Wilmington. These areas also have the highest rates of children supported by these programs, showing that the help is being allocated to areas where it is needed. Further analysis would be necessary to determine how SNAP, TANF and Purchase of Care work to alleviate child poverty in Delaware ZIP codes. This map was a collaboration between the Center for Community Research & Service and KIDS COUNT in Delaware, and the students hope to continue to participate in professional-building events like the annual GIS day.