Dear John,
In case you missed it...this week the Voices for Human Needs blog reports on brand new poverty data released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau. The data show that COVID-19 relief efforts by Congress kept millions of Americans from slipping into poverty. And we offer up a first-person account of how the expanded Child Tax Credit has helped one Detroit woman's family. Please share!
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This week on the blog...
COVID made long-term struggles worse -- but Congress prevented poverty for millions, and must act now to sustain major progress
September 14
Poverty declined from 2019 to 2020 despite soaring unemployment. Here’s why: Congress’ actions to provide COVID relief lifted millions of people out of poverty. The “stimulus” (Economic Impact) payments helped nearly 11.7 million people out of poverty. Expanded unemployment insurance lifted 5.5 million out of poverty. The stimulus payments were new; the expanded unemployment insurance lifted ten times the number of people out of poverty as in 2019 (524,000 were helped in that year). This is powerful evidence that federal actions can provide essential help when people need it most. READ MORE »
What the expanded Child Tax Credit means to me
September 16
No one had prepared me for motherhood — my own mother abandoned me when I wasn’t even two years old. My child’s father was violently abusive. My life was unstable and I was terrified of having another human being depend on me. Things are so much better now. My son Caleb is starting kindergarten, and he’s the light of my life. We’ve been through so much together, but we’re making it. READ MORE »
In case you missed it: CHN recently released Episode 4 of the Voices for Human Needs podcast. "Housing is health care, and finding the political will to end homelessness" examines the intersection between housing and homelessness, health care, and public policy. We interview two members of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council: Dr. Courtney Plasden from Portland, Maine, the council’s clinical director, and Art Rios Sr., the Chair of the National Health Care Consumer Advisory Board based out of Portland, Oregon. And we hear from Steve Berg, the Vice President of Policy and Programs at the National Alliance to End Homelessness in Washington D.C. Steve shares how advocates at the grassroots and federal levels must continue to push forward policies during the budget reconciliation process and economic recovery legislation that could make a real difference in the lives of those at risk of, or facing, homelessness.
READ MORE »
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