DPSS_100_Year_Annual_A4_Final-v5-Digital_compressed

A CENTURY OF SERVICE 68 | RIVERSIDE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES

The Great Depression The Great Depression began in 1929, but it wasn’t until 1932 when mass unemployment hit Riverside County. By 1934, 31% of Riverside County’s 81,000 residents were on relief. The average expenditure per case each month was $8.00. During this period, the activities of the Welfare Department (now DPSS) were greatly expanded. About one in every three of Riverside County’s 2.5 million residents access at least one DPSS program.