From our policy director, Shailly Gupta Barnes:

During the pandemic, our government implemented new and innovative legislation to provide for our health and economic well-being. Moratoria on evictions and utility shut offs made sure more people had access to housing, water and electricity. Increased funding for food programs provided for heightened food insecurity. Economic supports like stimulus checks and pandemic unemployment insurance boosted economic well-being and kept millions of jobs in the economy. The expanded Child Tax Credit began issuing monthly payments for several months. Although it was ended prematurely, new research from the Kairos Center and Children’s HealthWatch reveals how these payments improve the capacity of poor and low-income households to meet their needs. It also shows ongoing inequities that can and must be addressed by policy interventions that can be made now.

Join us on August 9 to hear directly from researchers and long-time welfare-rights and community organizers about these new findings and their implications on policy and organizing towards a movement to end poverty. This conversation is especially important given the inflationary crisis that is disproportionately burdening poor and low-income households and the increasingly hostile landscape for poor and low-income women following the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Join us for a press conference and a roundtable discussion. RSVP HERE.