SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, March 28, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Throughout the pandemic, California’s low-income families have borne the brunt of an ongoing economic fallout that, when combined with the exorbitant cost of housing, mounting inflation, and the stress of the Covid-19 pandemic, continues to push the state’s most vulnerable to the brink. In the face of these challenges California has undertaken bold policies to meet families where they are at with the establishment of the Young Child Tax Credit and the Golden State Stimulus. These actions have directly helped millions during uncertain times and point a clear line to where we should focus our efforts again: getting cash into households that are hurting.

California can lead the nation by backfilling the loss of the federal Child Tax Credit (CTC). As it stands, a total of 7.8 million California children, or 86% of ALL children in California, are losing out since the CTC expansion stalled in December 2021 and 1.7 million of them are falling back into poverty on our watch. Urgent action is required to reverse course for millions of children and families. Our coalitions urge Governor Newsom and the California Legislature to take action on the following items:

- Funding a one-time per-child tax credit payment for children living in poverty
- Funding dignified wages for child care providers and the removal of family fees
- A Golden State Stimulus III for families not able to benefit from other relief
- Establishing HOPE Accounts/Baby Bonds
- Funding the growth of Regional Community Networks
- Funding a wage replacement program for undocumented workers
- Ensuring CalWORKs is fair and funded

"Knowing that California children are falling back into poverty on our watch compels us to take action now," said Shimica Gaskins, President & CEO of GRACE & End Child Poverty CA. "We can do a lot with the billions of dollars the state has in additional revenues and children should be first on the list. The coalitions that have come together today believe that children must be nourished, respected, healthy, secure, and valued. We call on the Governor and California State Legislature to respond to this moment of action."

These policies are the most effective means in providing our most economically vulnerable families–disproportionately families of color–with the economic help they deserve. These actions would make considerable progress in addressing the racial and gender wealth gap. We have the tools necessary to address the needs of our residents, we just need to use them.

CalEITC Coalition Budget Letter
End Child Poverty Coalition Budget Letter

Organizations That Support This Statement:

End Child Poverty CA & GRACE
United Ways of California
Golden State Opportunity
Children’s Defense Fund California
Economic Security Project Action
The Children’s Partnership
Alameda County Community Foodbank
ACLU California
Alameda County Community Food Bank
Asian Americans Advancing Justice
Asian Pacific Environmental Network
Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative
Bet Tzedek Legal Services
California Asset Building Coalition
California Catholic Conference
California Immigrant Policy Center
California Interfaith Coalition
California Association of Food Banks
CAIR California
California Partnership
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Stockton
California County of Welfare Rights Organizations
California Employment Lawyers Association
California Food and Farming Network
California Food Policy Advocates
California Industrial Areas Foundation
California Labor Federation
California Nurses Association
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
California Reinvestment Coalition
California Welfare Directors Association
California Women’s Law Center
Centro Binacional para el Desarollo Indígena Oaxaqueño
Child Care Law Center
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
Courage California
Dolores Huerta Foundation
Drug Policy Alliance
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Equal Rights Advocates
First 5 Association of California
Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability
Legal Aid at Work
Lutheran Office of Public Affairs California
National Association of Social Workers-CA Chapter
National Council of Jewish Women - California Policy Advocacy Network
NextGen California
Nourish California
PICO California
Pomona Economic Opportunity Center
REDF
San Diego Immigrant Rights Coalition
SEIU California
Silicon Valley Community 6
Friends Committee on Legislation of California
FREE SF
GLIDE
Greenlining Institute
Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice
John Burton Advocates for Youth
Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California
Justice in Aging
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California
Latino Community Foundation
Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition
Stronger CA Advocates Network
SaverLife
SHIELDS for Families
TODEC Legal Center
UDW AFSCME Local 3930
Universal Income Project
Voices for Progress
Western Center on Law and Poverty
Young Invincibles

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Read more about the partner organizations involved:

The CalEITC Coalition, consisting of nearly 60 community-based advocacy organizations, is dedicated to engendering long-term transformative change by pushing for policies that reduce poverty and serve our most vulnerable communities.

For more information on California Asset Building Coalition, visit http://www.calassetbuildingcoalition.org.

For more information on GRACE & End Child Poverty CA, visit https://www.endchildpovertyca.org.

Linda Swank
GRACE
+1 626-356-4206
email us here

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