If there has been anything predictable about the last 18 months, it’s been that everything continues to be unpredictable. With new surges in cases across the country, and particularly the South, we’ve had to put our plans for resuming in-person programming on hold. As schools get ready to resume in-person learning, we are remaining vigilant knowing that even the best laid plans could change at a moment’s notice. And we know our families, already trying to navigate complicated situations as essential workers, parents with few childcare options, and limited access to healthcare services, are feeling this more acutely than most.
But one thing that is becoming a constant for the next few months is the expanded Child Tax Credit payments. Last month, we talked about the work our staff has been doing to get the word out about the payments and making sure all families who qualify were set up to receive them. We’re happy to report that that work paid off! The vast majority of our families received their first check via direct deposit on July 15 and are ready to receive their second payment on August 15.
Consistency is key. While some may wonder why it matters that these payments are monthly, instead of one lump sum at tax time, the stories of our families show us why. For example, take Annette. Annette works as a food service worker with Jackson Public Schools. She loves her job and being around kids. She is even in school part-time to finish her elementary education degree and become a full-time teacher. However, as a food service worker, she does not get paid during the summer months – only the ten months school is in session. She was able to use her CTC check to purchase school supplies and uniforms for her two children preparing to go back to school. Receiving the benefits monthly helps hold her over during the two summer months that her kids are home, especially since it is hard to find any short-term employment with limited childcare options.
Or take I’Esha. I’Esha had been working two jobs, managing multiple cleaning crews for Red Roof Inn and working as a cashier at a local shop. However, in January, she found out that she had a high-risk pregnancy, and in order to keep both herself, her baby, and her family safe, she was forced to quit her jobs. She had worked hard to build up her savings and was able to get by for a while, but having the consistency of the CTC payments has come as a huge relief. Like Annette, she was able to purchase clothes and school supplies for her two children preparing to go back to school and will be able to use her August payment for things like diapers and wipes, expenses not covered by benefits like SNAP or WIC, for her newborn. While she hopes to go back to work and utilize her culinary degree as a chef in the future, the CTC is a lifeline for her and her children during this time.
These are just a few examples among so many of the ways these monthly checks have changed the game for families. With so much unpredictability all around us, knowing that you are going to have what you need to cover the essentials for your family each month is an incredible relief. That’s why we, along with the Marshall Plan for Mom’s, Income Movement, and so many other organizations have been calling on the Biden administration and lawmakers to make the CTC monthly payments permanent. We will continue to share the stories of our families and the impact these monthly payments are having throughout the coming months, and we hope that you’ll help us out by sharing them with your own networks and communities, as well. And together, we hope to ensure that the CTC payments become a permanent, predictable support in a very unpredictable world.