Every child in DC should have the chance to live to their fullest. A local child credit can provide a lifeline to families struggling to make ends meet and help secure a better future for kids in the District.

More than one in five children in DC (22.8 percent) live in poverty. Because of systemic racism, more than one in three (35.8 percent) Black children live in poverty. Poverty, especially when it’s persistent, has long-lasting negative effects on children and their well-being into adulthood.

But a local child tax credit offered by the District could reach the children who need it most and help their families pay for basic needs, which will improve child well-being in the short and longer-term while boosting the local economy. It will also help Black and brown families with moderate incomes afford the high costs of raising children in the District.

When the federal government temporarily expanded the national Child Tax Credit during the pandemic, it . Families used the credit to purchase basic necessities such as food and housing, and to pay off debt. By creating a local version of this proven tool, the District can give children the opportunity to reach their full potential, now and in the future.