This document is intended to provide business leaders, policymakers, and others with information about the operation and value of six work support programs designed to help low-income parents obtain the assistance needed to enter a job, retain employment, and better provide for their families' needs. The six programs profiled are as follows: the Earned Income Tax Credit; child care; Food Stamps; health care; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and child support. The document begins with a discussion of the lack of a single national structure or location where low-earning parents can access work support programs. Next, principal differences between the six programs with respect to the following dimensions are summarized: who funds the benefit; who administers the benefit; who is eligible for the benefit; length of eligibility; and whether the benefit is an entitlement or its availability is limited by funding. The remainder of the document presents profiles of each program. Each profile contains information on the following topics: the program's history, current size/scope, and differences in the program's administration and structure in individual states; the program's impacts on financial security and job retention; and program participation. The names and addresses of 16 organizations offering publications on the 6 work support programs profiled are appended. (Contains 86 references.) (MN)