Mississippi denying aid to thousands of poor

Think Progress - Last year, 11,717 low-income residents of Mississippi applied to get a meager government benefit to help them make ends meet. The state’s welfare program, part of federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, gives a maximum of just $170 a month to a family of three. These applicants had applied hoping to get at least that crumb of cash assistance.

But out of the pool—more than 11 thousand—only 167 people were actually approved and enrolled in the program, according to state data obtained by Think Progress. Every other applicant was denied or withdrew, resulting in an acceptance rate of just 1.42 percent.