[brytlea]

You know, I would be curious to know the total numbers and percentages of people on welfare.
susie

[ARealMothersSonForever]

"You know, I would be curious to know the total numbers and percentages of people on welfare." Ask, and you shall receive:
In 1994, when debate about federal welfare reform again intensified, the demographics of the national welfare population were as follows:

From 1960 to 1994, the number of people receiving AFDC had grown almost five-fold, from about 3 million to 14 million
In 1993, 87 percent of mothers receiving AFDC did not have a husband present (48 percent were single, 23 percent were widowed or divorced, and 17 percent were separated)
In 1993, 5 percent of mothers receiving AFDC were aged 15–19
In 1993, 55 percent of mothers receiving AFDC were white and 39 percent black
From 1969 to 1994 the size of the average welfare household had fallen, from 4.0 members to 2.9
From 1970 to 1994, federal and state welfare spending combined and adjusted for inflation had climbed from $16 billion to more than $25 billion; the peak was $27 billion, in 1977
http://www.michiganinbrief.org/edition06/text/issues/issue-65.htm

[ARealMothersSonForever]

There was further reform after 1993:
"Between 1996 and 2000, expenditures for the Food Stamp Program fell 33 percent, as average monthly participation dropped from 25.5 million people per month to 17.2 million. Lower unemployment and lower poverty rates reduced the number of people eligible to participate in food assistance programs, and PRWORA restructured the cash welfare system in ways that may have reduced participation in food assistance programs. Disentangling the effects of economic conditions from program changes is important to understanding what lies ahead for food assistance programs. If economic conditions are mostly responsible for recent declines, participation is likely to rebound in an economic downturn. By contrast, if program changes are responsible for the decline, then participation will remain low so long as current policies are maintained."
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3765/is_1_24/ai_80517251

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Due to the self-identification differences among states, it is not likely that the numbers of self-identified white-hispanic, native American or mestizo are of any demographic value. They only break it into black and white, unfortunately.