DeLauro, Community Leaders, VITA Volunteers Recognize Child Tax Credit Awareness Day

Press Release

House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) today joined Milford Mayor Ben Blake, President and CEO of TEAM, Inc., David Morgan, and Director of Asset Building Programs at Connecticut Association for Human Services Takima Robinson at Margaret S. Egan Center in Milford, CT, to highlight Child Tax Credit Awareness Day and work with parents to ensure they receive the new monthly benefit.

Following the press event, DeLauro visited a Head Start classroom and TEAM's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site at the Center. These VITA sites are critical to helping parents, who are not required to file taxes because they do not make enough, access the Child Tax Credit.

"The American Rescue Plan expanded and improved the Child Tax Credit, providing a lifeline to the middle class and laying the groundwork to cut child poverty in half," said Congresswoman DeLauro. "After working on this transformative policy since 2003, in March, we made the biggest change to social policy since the New Deal. Our work is far from over. Now, we need to spread the word, mobilize, and organize to ensure that every family who qualifies for this new monthly benefit, can access it. This policy will only work if the money makes into the pockets of the families who qualify. Connecticut is already leading the way in helping people use the non-filer portal. Beyond today--Child Tax Credit Awareness Day--I will continue to work with community leaders to make federal resources available and accessible."

"Each year, TEAM delivers critical tax preparation services through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program -- playing a key role to help keep and put money in the pockets of hard-working people who really need it," said President and CEO of TEAM, Inc., David Morgan. "Investing with families is a year-long initiative, and the American Rescue Plan is becoming a lifeline for the thousands of children and families turning to TEAM throughout the pandemic. Today, TEAM is pleased to announced Child Tax Credit Day and is available to continue helping parents in the Milford and Greater Valley region with dependents age 17 and under to claim the Advanced Child Tax Credit payments beginning in July 2021. If you have not filed your 2020 Tax Return, please contact TEAM 203-736-5420 to hear more on accessing the Advanced Child Tax Credit. TEAM is grateful to Milford Mayor Blake and Congresswoman DeLauro for their leadership throughout the pandemic, and the critical work ahead in bringing stability to our communities and region."

"Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS) has been around for over 100 years," said Director of Asset Building Programs Takima Robinson. "We aggressively target racial and economic inequality through the programs we deliver. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is our flagship program. In partnership with agencies like TEAM, we coordinate one of the largest VITA coalitions in the state, and we see firsthand how impactful the Child Tax Credit is to the individuals and families we serve. As we know, caring for a child can be very expensive. Even with child care subsidies, the cost of quality daycare can cause a great deal of financial burden. Sometimes having to choose between childcare and rent. The American Rescue Plan Act has provided additional relief for individuals impacted by the pandemic. These advance child tax credit payments could make a huge difference to so many families. Although the American Rescue Plan has provided much-needed economic relief to our most vulnerable population, in order to truly make a difference, the expansion of the CTC needs to be permanent."

The Child Tax Credit was expanded and improved in the American Rescue Plan based on key provisions from DeLauro's legislation, the American Family Act. All families who qualify will receive the same monthly payments, $250 per month per child, and $300 per month for every young child. DeLauro has been working toward this goal since 2003.

In Connecticut's Third Congressional District, 109,500 children, 76 percent, will benefit from the monthly CTC checks. Additionally, the expanded and improved CTC lifts 8,400 children in CT-03 out of poverty, 3,700 children out of deep poverty. Because of the larger benefit for the youngest, 3,100 kids under the age of six are raised out of poverty. The average benefit for 33,400 households in CT-03 is $2,600 annually. Families with children in poverty will receive $4,300 on average.

"Today is a new dawn," DeLauro continued. "And we have a real opportunity here, not just to throw money at the problems, but to build the architecture for the future and use this as a moment to lift up all children and families so that every person, no matter their background, has the opportunity to contribute and succeed."

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