A new study that examines what it will take to move Puerto Rico from dependency to self-sufficiency.
Why This Study Matters
Puerto Rico has the lowest labor participation rate in the United States. More than 38% of households depend on the Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) for food and nutrition support, and roughly 250,000 able-bodied individuals remain outside the formal workforce.
Inspiring Work builds on CRECE’s 2025 policy brief, The Impact of the Welfare State on Puerto Rico’s Labor Participation Rate, going deeper into the socio-economic, regulatory, and psychological factors that keep people locked into long-term dependency. The study combines quantitative data from 500 able-bodied NAP recipients with in-depth qualitative interviews — pairing hard numbers with the personal accounts behind them — to build an evidence-based foundation for policy reform.