Podcast: A possible fix to public assistance programs with FII’s Lauren Renaud

I was proud to be invited onto Heinz Radio at my alma mater to talk about the work we do at FII.

How can we help lift people out of poverty for good? Heinz alum Lauren Renaud (’17), now Director of Analytics for the Family Independence Initiative, says we should start by assuming that people who have experienced poverty know more about their unique needs than any government official, philanthropist, or policy professional.

The Family Independence Initiative (FII) is a nonprofit that promotes unrestricted cash transfers as a way to alleviate poverty. They also host online forums where assistance recipients can give each other advice and feedback. In this week’s episode, Lauren and host Chinmayee discuss FII’s initiatives and their results, the philosophical shift Lauren hopes to see in the fight against poverty, and more.