Number of MA Families on Assistance Remains Low

By Arlen Cellana

Boston, MA – Since early 2001, Massachusetts has lost more than one-hundred-sixty-thousand (160,000) jobs, the biggest percentage drop among the 50 states. Despite the loss of jobs and a stagnant economy in the Bay State, the number of families seeking aid from the Department of Transitional Assistance remains well below the record levels of the early 1990's. Berkshire Bureau Chief Arlen Cellana looks at the numbers and what they really mean for the state's poorest families.