Since 1997, community college programs have been meeting the challenges of the Temporary Assistant for Needy Families (TANF) a block grant that eliminated welfare entitlements and requires federally or state-approved work activities for welfare recipients. This volume examines TANF from its inception and presents research and applications from welfare-to-work programs across the country. Chapters discuss internal and external partnerships that community colleges must foster and the constituencies they must serve. Examples of effective programs include a job placement program meeting the needs of rural welfare recipients, short-term and advanced levels of technical training, a call center program for customer service job training, beneficial postsecondary training, collaborative programs for long-term family economic self-sufficiency, and a family-based approach recognizing the needs of welfare recipients and their families. With research from state and institutional responses as well as an analysis of the welfare student population, this is a comprehensive resource for community college educators involved in the development and implementation of work-first programs on their campuses.

This is the 116th issue of the quarterly journal New Directions for Community Colleges.