When was welfare created?

The national welfare system was created in the U.S. in the 1930s. Over time, the government has expanded programs to help families meet basic needs.

Welfare isn’t one thing—it’s is an umbrella term for government assistance programs that help people afford essentials including food, housing, healthcare, and childcare. Millions of Americans rely on welfare programs like SNAP and Medicaid to help them get through difficult times.

Public assistance pre-1935#public-assistance-pre-1935

Before 1935, the federal government didn’t have a formal welfare program in place. Community assistance sometimes came from churches, mutual aid societies, and local governments.

There were benefits and retirement programs in place in some industries, but many came from the private sector and employers.

1935: Social Security Act and modern welfare#1935-social-security-act-and-modern-welfare

The Great Depression was a major catalyst for creating the modern welfare system we know today. With unemployment high and poverty on the rise, private charities and local communities were falling short in meeting people’s needs.

Aging Americans had all but depleted their savings, and widespread unemployment meant more Americans were unable to support themselves and their families.

In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into place as part of the New Deal. The Social Security Act created two large-scale social programs:

• Old-age benefits for retired workers
• Unemployment benefits for people who were out of work

It also established Aid to Dependent Children, and federal grants for aid to the blind, maternal and child health programs, and public health.

The Social Security Act is what became the foundation of the modern federal safety net.

1960s: Food stamps, Medicaid, and more#1960s-food-stamps-medicaid-and-more

Welfare expanded over time, offering more assistance to different populations. Some of the programs that started then that we still have today include:

• The first food stamp program started in 1939 but ended during World War II. It returned through pilot programs in the 1960s and became permanent with the Food Stamp Act of 1964.
• In 1965, Medicare and Medicaid were established under the Social Security Amendments. Medicare helps older adults and some people with disabilities access healthcare, while Medicaid provides health coverage for eligible low-income Americans.
• Other evolutions in welfare included providing free school lunch and breakfast to students in need, as well as the beginning of large-scale housing assistance programs. These expansions were the start of many programs still in place today, including the establishment of Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in 1972.

1990s: Welfare reform and cash assistance#1990s-welfare-reform-and-cash-assistance

Welfare reform in the 1990s led to changes in cash assistance, a central part of welfare.

In 1996, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFC) was replaced with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). TANF, sometimes referred to as Cash EBT, provides temporary cash assistance to eligible families and includes work participation requirements.

The ‘90s also saw welfare programs transition from federally run to a more state-controlled model. While the federal government may set budgets and overarching policies, states control how their welfare programs run and distribute funds.

Welfare programs in 2026#welfare-programs-in-2026

Welfare isn’t one single program. It’s a collection of social safety nets meant to help provide food, healthcare, support, and cash aid to Americans who need it the most.

These programs continue to change based on public need, including a temporary expansion of benefits to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.