If you’ve dined out lately, you may well have seen a “Help Wanted” sign in the window of the restaurant you visited. And you might have noticed that your favorite restaurants, which were open six or seven days a week pre-pandemic, are now often only open four or five days a week. It is no secret that many restaurants have struggled to hire, and retain, staff. But a new study suggests that many restaurants have managed to figure out a way for their business — and their employees – to thrive.
Archives: Voices
CHN’s Podcast Episode 5: Securing Pathway To Citizenship & Immigration Reform
There is no better time than now to lend your voice to the fight to secure a pathway to citizenship for millions of immigrants! That’s why the brand new episode of the Voices for Human Needs podcast is all about the ongoing efforts of grassroots advocates, allies in Congress, and directly impacted communities across the country to finally pass legislation that protects millions of immigrants who are essential members of our communities.
“Much at stake” for West Virginia families in Biden’s spending plans
Amy Jo Hutchison, West Virginia anti-poverty advocate for Rattle the Windows and Fellow at Community Change, said Biden’s push to address issues such as health care and child care leaves much at stake for West Virginians. She pointed out many families are currently using the expanded child tax credit to cover the cost of child care. “It costs more for one child to do private paid childcare here in West Virginia than it does for a year’s tuition at West Virginia University or Marshall University,” Hutchison noted. “So those costs are just staggering.”
CHN’s COVID-19 Watch: Tracking Hardship September 24, 2021
The congressional chaos edition. Next week, Congress may take up four measures that could greatly affect both the short- and long-term health of our nation, for better or worse. First there is President Biden’s critically important Build Back Better plan – among many vital items, it would ensure that poor people are not left out of Medicaid and would keep the Child Tax Credit expansions from ending. Next there is important, bipartisan legislation to upgrade America’s physical infrastructure. Then there is the business of keeping the federal government open – and also addressing the thorny issue of the debt ceiling.
Next Week’s Podcast Explores Securing Pathway to Citizenship for Millions. Meanwhile, Immigration Advocates Are Not Dissuaded By Senate Parliamentarian’s Ruling.
There is no better time than now to lend your voice to the fight to secure a pathway to citizenship for millions of immigrants! That’s why next week’s episode of the Voices for Human Needs podcast is all about the ongoing efforts of grassroots advocates, allies in Congress, and directly impacted communities across the country to finally passing legislation that protects millions of immigrants who are essential members of our communities.
Meet Diane and Lupe – two women with stories that Sen. Mitch McConnell may not want you to hear
Diane Morgan lives in Cleveland, Ohio, where she works as an urban farmer. For many years, a lack of health insurance kept her from receiving an eye exam – which threatened her ability to renew her driver’s license and thus, her livelihood. Lupe Mendoza is a single mom with six kids – five still living at home – in Walla, Walla, Washington. The pandemic wrecked her family’s finances. Both Diane and Lupe stand to benefit from President Biden’s Build Back Better plan, albeit in different ways.
What the Expanded Child Tax Credit Means to Me
No one had prepared me for motherhood — my own mother abandoned me when I wasn’t even two years old. My child’s father was violently abusive. My life was unstable and I was terrified of having another human being depend on me. Things are so much better now. My son Caleb is starting kindergarten, and he’s the light of my life. We’ve been through so much together, but we’re making it.
COVID made Long-Term Struggles Worse — But Congress Prevented Poverty for Millions, and Must Act Now to Sustain Major Progress
Poverty declined from 2019 to 2020 despite soaring unemployment. Here’s why: Congress’ actions to provide COVID relief lifted millions of people out of poverty. The “stimulus” (Economic Impact) payments helped nearly 11.7 million people out of poverty. Expanded unemployment insurance lifted 5.5 million out of poverty. The stimulus payments were new; the expanded unemployment insurance lifted ten times the number of people out of poverty as in 2019 (524,000 were helped in that year). This is powerful evidence that federal actions can provide essential help when people need it most.
September 11
Twenty years ago I drove into work at the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, DC and saw the twin towers coming down on a television set just as I entered the building. Our location was a short walk from the U.S. Capitol; we didn’t know what else might happen. A few minutes later the Pentagon was attacked. The Metro shut down as a precaution; we needed to evacuate, and I took as many people as possible to drive to their homes. The streets were gridlocked; it took many hours.
CHN’s COVID-19 Watch: Tracking Hardship September 10, 2021
The (mostly) back-to-school edition. Millions of kids are back in school – some for the first time in 18 months. Polling shows parents are happy about this – but also favor safety measures such as mask mandates. Although experts broadly agree students should be in school as opposed to learning virtually, there is much cause for concern. Kids now account for more than one in four COVID-19 cases nationwide. In just the past week, 1,400 schools had to close and go to virtual learning due to COVID-19 outbreaks. In Texas alone, 50,000 K-12 students have tested positive. And 13 employees of Miami-Dade County schools have died.
A Matter of Equity: The Expanded Child Tax Credit
Next week,, the House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to mark up legislation relating to the newly expanded Child Tax Credit, an important step toward making the CTC permanent and available beyond this year to almost all families with children. Making the CTC permanent, including children of immigrant families among its recipients, and making it fully refundable – meaning the lowest-income families would receive the same benefit as everyone else – are keys to lifting low-income families out of poverty as well as battling systemic racism in America.
COVID-19 already made America’s housing crisis worse. And then the Supreme Court intervened and Ida happened.
Even before the pandemic hit, America faced a housing crisis, with high rates of homelessness, and, in a typical year, one million evictions processed through the courts. Then COVID-19 wrecked the economy, causing massive job loss beginning in March and April 2020 – some 6.5 million renter households fell behind in rent as families struggled. Now, within a 72-hour period last week, many of these same families faced a double whammy.