The purpose of this article is to describe the work of welfare-reliant wome
n and to reveal commitment to work in the experiences of 84 welfare-reliant
, rural women interviewed for this study. Understanding the domains where w
elfare-reliant women exhibit commitment to work may help policy makers, tra
iners, and employers design and implement interventions that enhance chance
s of success for these women in the formal, paid workforce. Discussion focu
ses on the women's formal labor force participation in the past and desire
for wage work in the future; barriers to labor force participation, both pe
rsonal and in the rural job market; informal work and the work of care; sup
port networks; survival strategies for making ends meet while receiving wel
fare; and the stigma of welfare receipt.