John,

Today, the third monthly payment of the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) will hit bank accounts. Families with children are receiving this support for this year only as a response to COVID-19—but parents’ need for a little extra cash to make ends meet won’t end in December, and the CTC checks shouldn’t either.

Before the checks started arriving, the expanded Child Tax Credit was projected to help cut child poverty in half in 2021. And now we know it’s having a real impact on families’ lives.

We’ve heard from families who are putting their monthly CTC checks toward essentials like diapers, groceries, rent, and child care. We’ve heard from parents who are finally able to take their kids on a trip to the zoo, thanks to the slight cushion the CTC checks afford. We know some families are able to buy school supplies, and some are putting a little money away for college or for emergencies.

Add your voice to those calling for the expanded Child Tax Credit to be made permanent, with improvements, so that families like these will continue to benefit.

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