News

    “For the past six months, more than 61 million children in roughly 36 million families across the U.S. have received a monthly payment of $250 or $300 per child… [But] tax credits that would have landed in families’ bank accounts beginning Friday, January 14 won’t happen because the Senate could not agree to extend them.” — Coalition on Human Needs     The Child Tax Credit (CTC) ended December 30, 2021. It lifted 9.9 million U.S. children out read more…

    Guest post by childcare professional Stephanie Manhardt.      November 1st seems to have transformed into the unofficial start of the Holiday season. This is such a magical time of the year and through the eyes of children, the magic is everywhere and everything. There are so many activities and gatherings to enjoy. On the east coast the weather doesn’t always make it easy to attend those fun activities. Luckily the magic can be done within your home. read more…

    “The Build Back Better Act provides a historic opportunity to move toward an economy that works for all of us, not just the wealthy and corporations.” — Americans for Tax Fairness     The Build Back Better plan will make historic investments in healthcare, childcare, and education by making billionaires and corporations pay their fair share in taxes. With a vote expected soon, we’re fighting to make sure this legislation passes—and we’re almost there! Please consider contacting your read more…

    Rich countries contribute an average of $14,000 per year for a toddler’s care. In the U.S. it’s $500. The New York Times: How Other Nations Pay for Child Care     Child care in the United States is in a crisis — and it’s time for change. The United States — one of the richest countries in the world — spends only $500 per child on early childhood care each year.The New York Times recently shared shocking statistics read more…

    Millions of families living in America face hunger and food insecurity every day. Your neighbor, child’s classmate or even coworker may be struggling to get enough to eat. Feeding America     Hunger in America is growing. In the wake of COVID-19, unemployment and food insecurity soared, and an estimated 60 million people turned to food banks and community programs for assistance in 2020 alone. Children and adults face hunger in every community across the country, and millions read more…

    Two critical programs that provide financial support to low-income parents and caretakers are the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC). These working-family tax credits lifted 5.6 million people out of poverty in 2018, including 3 million children, and made 16.5 million other people less poor. — EITC Fast Facts     The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC) are two of our tax code’s most effective income boosters read more…

    Guest post by Grinil Khanna with AuX Family Dynamics.     We used to have a routine. Wake up, get the kids ready, take the kids to school, hustle to work in traffic, answer to the boss, rush back home hoping the kids were doing what they had to do without getting into trouble, and run around like a chicken with its head cut off until the kids were fed and in bed. The pandemic has changed this read more…

    Guest post by Andrea Gibbs with Baby Steps Preschool in New York.     As a parent, you’ll want your child to have the best possible education. One way to do that is by choosing books for them to read at their appropriate reading level — but how do you know your child’s reading level? To better understand this, let’s take a look at the components of reading levels. First things first, there are two components of reading read more…

    This year Promise the Children will be raising funds to support Free Online Tutoring for any student in need as they work to catch up from last year’s disrupted school year.     Join Promise the Children for our second virtual online auction! This year we will be raising funds to support free online tutoring for any student in need as they work to catch up from last year’s disrupted school year. We are proud to partner with read more…

    “We know single caretaker families in Cambridge are struggling, are well below the Cambridge poverty line, and the impacts to single mothers and women of color are even higher…” – Sumbul Siddiqui, Mayor of Cambridge     Food insecurity is on the rise in Massachusetts, but the city of Cambridge is taking an innovative approach toward addressing it. As of August 2021, Cambridge will begin a guaranteed income test for 120 eligible single caretaker households in its city. read more…