The Senator spoke about the Child Tax Credit and its impact on working families
On Friday, March 4, 2022, Bob Casey, the senior United States Senator from Pennsylvania, visited the Hunting Park neighborhood of North Philadelphia for a conversation on child poverty and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a federal law passed in March of last year to address the impact of COVID on communities across the US.
Sen. Casey was greeted by Rev. Luis Cortés, Jr., Founder and CEO of Esperanza, and members of the organization’s senior leadership team. The Senator is no stranger to the Hunting Park community. He has visited Esperanza’s offices multiple times, and in 2017, he delivered the keynote address at the Esperanza College commencement ceremony.
“I want to remind the community the American Rescue Plan is approaching its one-year anniversary,” Sen. Casey told Esperanza staff. According to the Senator, ARPA’s impact can be seen across three areas: “school, vaccinations, and people.” The Senator highlighted how funding made available through ARPA contributed to the safe reopening of schools, a significant increase in the number of vaccinated Pennsylvanians, and enhanced access to testing for COVID. He also discussed the impact of ARPA’s investments on the home care workforce, which is largely composed of women of color.
Additionally, as Sen. Casey described, ARPA “took the [Child] Tax Credit and expanded it.” He stated millions of children have benefited from the updated Child Tax Credit. The Senator has heard firsthand from low-income families about the credit’s impact on their daily lives. In his view, it not only helps to cover food and necessities but may also support activities that enrich the lives of children, such as the arts and sports.
The Child Tax Credit is a federal tax credit program for families with children that was traditionally paid out annually. ARPA temporarily expanded eligibility and made the credit fully refundable, meaning that even families with the lowest incomes could benefit from the credit. Under the changes made by the ARPA, payments were issued on a monthly basis in 2021—putting money in the pockets of families continuously throughout the year. Research from Columbia University shows the expanded Child Tax Credit kept nearly 4 million children out of poverty in December of 2021. While the expanded credit with monthly payments expired in December, Casey supports permanently expanding the program.
Sen. Casey also took this opportunity to discuss the Child and Dependent Care Credit. This tax credit can provide up to $8,000 to offset families’ childcare costs. The Child and Dependent Care Credit adds an additional layer of support for families with children, who may qualify for both credits.
As part of his message to the local community, Sen. Casey urged people to file their taxes. “The only way you can benefit from the tax credits is to file your taxes,” the Senator concluded. The Senator’s office offers a series of educational materials on the Child Tax Credit and Child and Dependent Care Credit so that Pennsylvanians can take full advantage of the tax credits available to them this year. They also offer information on the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and its impact on communities of color, particularly across infrastructure, environmental justice, and workforce development.
Sen. Casey’s visit ended with a tour of the facilities, led by Rev. Cortés.
“We were delighted to welcome Sen. Casey to our campus in Latino North Philadelphia. We thank the Senator for his service to the people of Pennsylvania and commend his relentless efforts to combat child poverty in America. Sen. Casey, as a proponent of the Child Tax Credit, is an ally for our children and families.” Rev. Cortés told Impacto.
Esperanza currently leads community outreach campaigns on the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit. In February, they opened a volunteer income tax assistance (VITA) site located at 4261 North 5th Street, which allows clients to file their taxes and receive support from trained tax preparers for free. As part of a partnership with the North Philadelphia-based organization Ceiba, clients are screened for the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit eligibility. Individuals interested in the VITA program can call the Esperanza offices at 215-324-0746 or email vita@esperanza.us to schedule an appointment.
This story is part of a larger effort at Esperanza to inform the community about policies and programs that impact their social and economic well-being, including tax credit programs, voter registration, redistricting, environmental justice, and other topics.
