Breaking Down Social Capital: Urban Families' Use of Public Benefits

ABSTRACT This article examines whether social capital facilitates or dissuades urban families from taking up safety net programs. Using longitudinal data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we explore how various components of social capital—operating at relational, organizational, and neighborhood levels—are related to participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The findings show that the elements of social capital play different roles in public aid receipt. Access to financial assistance from kin and enrollment in childcare centers is associated with lower odds of SNAP and TANF use. A lack of social ties with one's neighbors is associated with higher odds of SNAP receipt in high‐poverty areas. Families who know at least some neighbors are more likely to use TANF, but this does not vary by neighborhood poverty. This article demonstrates the importance of investigating the components of social capital to better understand how families attain resources.