Then children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them, but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” And he laid his hands on them and went on his way. Matthew 19:13-15 NRSVue

One in seven children are currently living in poverty in the United States. Many families are struggling to provide the bare necessities because of rising inflation and continued COVID-19 challenges. Studies have shown that the stress of growing up in poverty has lifelong consequences. But we can do something about this.

There is a proven solution - the expanded, fully refundable, monthly Child Tax Credit (CTC). In December 2021, when monthly Child Tax Credit payments were still in effect, nearly 4 million children were lifted out of poverty. At that time, child hunger was reduced by over 25%. Analysis shows that CTC payments helped families put food on the table and pay their bills.

Now, with the expiration of the expanded monthly Child Tax Credit at the end of December 2021 and rising costs for everyday expenses, these nearly 4 million children have fallen back into poverty. In addition, according to a recent report from Moody’s Analytics, inflation is costing the average family in the United States an additional $296 per month. This is almost the amount of one monthly expanded Child Tax Credit payment for one child. If Congress were to make the current $2,000 Child Tax Credit fully refundable and available to all low-income families, the number of children experiencing poverty would fall by an estimated 20 percent. This could help families afford things like food, shoes for their children, or decent housing.

There is limited time for us to act. Contact your lawmakers today and urge them to pass an economic reconciliation bill that extends the expanded Child Tax Credit.