On March 30, 2020, associate professor of economics Elizabeth Ananat's co-authored report "Snapshot of the COVID Crisis Impact on Working Families" was published in the economic analysis publication Econofact. Her study, co-written with Anna Gassman-Pines at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy, confirms how the pandemic has begun to adversely affect low-wage families, including reduced working hours, job loss, and deteriorating mental health. The snapshot notes that government policies have yet to reach families and that "a quarter of parents report they will be unable to either pay rent, buy groceries, or both next month if the crisis continues." As a result, the report says efforts should immediately mobilize to help vulnerable families.
PBS Newshour featured the snapshot on March 31, 2020.