Today the second round of monthly benefits under the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) began landing in the bank accounts of millions of families with children aged 0 to 17. The Coalition on Human Needs, working with Public News Service, is telling the stories of communities and families that are benefiting from the CTC expansion. Here are three stories that have been produced this past week. You can see an earlier round of stories here.

Expanded Child Tax Credit Boosts Safety Net for MI Families
ALLEGAN, Mich. — More than 1.9 million Michigan kids are benefiting as their families see extra money from the extended federal Child Tax Credit. Esperanza Carrasco-Morales, nutrition and senior services specialist for Community Action of Allegan County, said the advance payments help families like hers feel more secure and prepared for unexpected or once-a-year costs. “I am a single mother of four, so that extra income that’s coming in, that tax credit that came in, has helped out immensely with school supplies, and school clothes and whatnot,” Carrasco-Morales explained. “Especially with gas. Gas prices are going up.” READ MORE »

Child Tax Credit Lifts MT Families Out of Poverty, Backers Say
MISSOULA, Mont. – More than 200,000 Montana families are seeing extra money in their bank accounts because of the extended federal Child Tax Credit. Hailey Morton is a housekeeping manager for a hotel in Missoula. She has three kids and said she used the first payment for rent and groceries – and saved the rest. “I am grateful for the extra help through the month,” said Morton, “because that’s what’s really going to save me.” READ MORE »

Federal Child Tax Credit Providing Lifeline for GA Families
ATLANTA — More than 2.2 million Georgia kids are benefiting as their families see extra money from the extended federal Child Tax Credit. Shanda Neal, senior organizer for the Georgia chapter of 9to5, the National Association of Working Women, said families have been using the first payment for the necessities after an uncertain year. “Since the pandemic has really hit, it has really shifted the landscape of working families and what’s accessible to them, and we’ve seen that women have really been impacted hugely when we think about COVID and the workforce,” Neal observed. “So definitely, when you think about rent, when you think about utilities.” READ MORE »