More than 350 groups tell Congress: Pass a full-year FY 2022 spending bill to address years of stagnation and cuts in human needs programs
CHN Staff,
February 10, 2022
More than 350 local, state, and national organizations Thursday urged Congress to pass an FY 2022 appropriations bill in order to reverse years of stagnation and even cuts to programs covering a vast array of human needs.
Child Tax Credit/Earned Income Tax Credit Day of Action – at the White House, in the Capitol, and well beyond
David Elliot,
February 9, 2022
Tuesday, February 8 was Child Tax Credit/Earned Income Tax Credit Day of Action, and at the White House, Capitol Hill, and cities across the nation, with service providers and people from all walks of life, all came together to make sure families with low incomes get the money they are due – and in some cases, to call for expanded CTC and EITC payments to continue.
Groups help erase medical debt for 24,000 Arkansans
CHN Staff,
February 4, 2022
Philanthropic groups have collaborated to erase more than $35 million in medical debt for Arkansas residents. Sarah Kinser, chief program officer of Arkansas Community Foundation - one of the groups that raised funds - said medical debt can cause serious financial stress. "People who have to service debt that they can't afford may end up having to choose between feeding their family and repaying that debt," said Kinser. "And especially as we've been in a pandemic and people have had unexpected medical costs. We know that debt burden is especially present on everyone's minds."
CHN’s COVID-19 Watch: Tracking Hardship February 4, 2022
CHN Staff,
February 4, 2022
The post-pandemic planning edition. The rapid decrease in the number of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has prompted speculation that maybe, possibly, perhaps, the end of the pandemic is in sight. We can’t say for sure – we've been down that road before. But we can ask ourselves a fundamental question. When the pandemic recedes, do we want to go back to the pre-pandemic days? Or do we want to build something better, something lasting, something that boldly addresses the weaknesses and systemic inequities that predated COVID-19?
Some 67,000 workers get a pay raise – and more will soon follow
David Elliot,
February 1, 2022
Thanks to President Biden, about 67,000 federal workers have now received a guaranteed $15 per hour minimum wage. And within this year, another 300,000 employees of federal contractors -- who fill support positions for the government but are not federal workers -- will join them. The move, which involved Biden filling a 2020 campaign pledge via executive order, affects workers in all U.S. states and territories. It covers a multitude of occupations, including wildland firefighters, plant protection technicians, and custodial workers.
