U.S. Poverty Weekly Update September 10, 2019
Quote of the Week
“It is critical that no business tax breaks should be extended or expanded without also helping low-income workers and their families through expansions of the EITC and Child Tax Credit (CTC).”
– RESULTS Bremerton, WA volunteer Donna Munro in a September 9 letter to the editor in the Waterloo Courier (Iowa)
Got Two Minutes? Use New Census Data for Letters to the Editor on the EITC and CTC (September Action)
BREAKING! The new 2018 poverty data was just released from the U.S. Census. The good news is that the poverty rate continues its downward trend, dropping from 12.3 percent to 11.8 percent between 2017 and 2018. This is thanks to a relatively stable economic recovery after the Great Recession, as well as your important work in protecting Medicaid and SNAP in 2017 and 2018. Had the cuts to those programs pushed by the Trump Administration and many in Congress gone into effect, the data would likely be much more dire. In fact, even with the poverty rate trending down, progress is far too slow. 38.1 million Americans were still living below the poverty line in 2018, including 11.8 million children. We can and must do better. We can start this year by expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC), which lifted 7.9 million people out of poverty last year, in any new tax legislation.
TAKE ACTION: Take two minutes to use the new Census data as a hook for letters to the editor urging your members of Congress to expand the EITC and CTC. Use our updated online template to submit a letter today. The September Action also has background and a sample letter help. Tune into tonight’s U.S. Poverty National Webinar (8:00 pm ET, more details below) to learn more about the Census data and expanding the EITC and CTC.
Join Media Training on Thursday. If you are new to writing and submitting letters to the editor, or your letter writing could use a refresher, join our “Use Local Media to Move Legislators into Action” training webinar this Thursday, September 12 at 8:30 pm ET (this webinar is based on the intensive media training done at this year’s International Conference). Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/422081397 or dial either (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, meeting ID: 422 081 397#.
Got Ten (Plus Fifty) Minutes? Join Tonight’s National Webinar with Chad Bolt of Sen. Brown’s Office
The RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar is tonight, September 10 at 8:00 pm ET. On the webinar, we are pleased to have Chad Bolt, tax aide for Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), as our guest speaker. He will share why his boss is working to expand the EITC and CTC and share his thoughts on how we can best influence lawmakers to include the EITC and CTC in any tax legislation this fall. This webinar is also our first opportunity to overview the new 2018 U.S. Census poverty data, which is immensely useful in our advocacy work and helpful for getting media published this month. You’ll hear from RESULTS Expert on Poverty Maureen Bowling on the importance of the EITC and CTC to her family. Finally, as part of our continued work to use your RESULTS work to inspire others into action, we’ll hear from RESULTS St. Louis (Global) group leader and current high school sophomore Yara Levin about her group’s successful efforts at using letters to the editor to get new people involved in our work. This should be a great webinar so please join us.
TAKE ACTION: Take ten minutes to join and stay for the RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar tonight, September 10 at 8:00 pm ET. Join online at: https://results.zoom.us/j/873308801 or dial in by phone at either (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 873 308 801). If you login online, please list both your first and last names when prompted. Be sure to remind your groups and action networks of the webinar. The slides for the webinar will be available later today on the National Webinars page. If you have questions, please contact Jos Linn.
Got Twenty Minutes? Facilitate Someone’s Transformational Moment (September Action)
As we work this month to get media published about helping low-income workers and families by expanding the EITC and CTC, think back to the moment you got your first media piece written, submitted, or published. Was it fun? Were you energized? Did you desire to do it again, or to do the next thing? An advocacy success, especially a media one, can be a game-changer. You know from your own experience. And once you’ve had one or two or ten, you can create them for others.
Let’s be honest. People are scared right now. They can’t make sense of the world and their place in it. It’s overwhelming sometimes. But the answer is simple. Do something. No one person can fix poverty. But that person can do something about it. And another person can do something about it. And another person. And another person. Pretty soon, the problem no longer seems as big and scary. The impossible task becomes the solvable problem. People want to see that for themselves. They need to see it. As RESULTS volunteers, you do that “something” all the time. Use what you do best to show people they can do something too.
TAKE ACTION: Take twenty minutes this week to invite people to take action with you this month. Use writing and submitting letters to the editor to let people know that they can help end poverty. The September Action has ideas to help you and Jos Linn is available if you would like one-on-one coaching help. Also, please join our training webinar “Wow, I got published!” Making Media a Transformational Experience on Thursday, September 19 at 8:30 pm ET for a more in-depth training and discussion on how to use RESULTS actions to engage others in this work. Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/586201507, or dial either (929) 436-2866 or 669-900-6833, meeting ID: 586 201 507#.
Quick News
Invite Housing Aides to DC Event Next Week. On September 18 at 1:30 pm ET, the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign will hold a congressional briefing in Washington, DC on America’s housing crisis and practical solutions to solve it. Send housing aides you’re working with the link to register and encourage them to attend.
New Study Shows Impact of EITC on Housing. Katherine Michelmore and Natasha Pilkauskas of the University of Michigan have released The Effect of the Earned Income Tax Credit on Housing and Living Arrangements, examining the EITC’s effect on homelessness and eviction, cost of living, and living arrangements for single mothers. The study found that a $1,000 increase to the EITC improved housing by reducing cost burdens and household crowding. Read the full study here.
Only Two Weeks Left to Oppose SNAP Rule. Monday, September 23 is the last date you have to submit your comment opposing the Trump Administration’s proposed rule to cut SNAP for 3 million low-income people. Submit your comment opposing the rule today and see the joint SNAP comment campaign resources page for additional tools. You can also build opposition to the rule by joining the Tweetstorm (#HandsOffSNAP #ProtectSNAP) on September 19 from 3:00-4:00 pm ET.
Public Charge Update. RESULTS has signed an amicus brief opposing the new public charge rule. Also, the Domestic Human Needs coalition is hosting the “Public Charge 101 for Faith Communities” webinar on September 24 at 2:00 pm ET. Guests include Sr. Simone Campbell of NETWORK, Charles Wheeler of Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) and Liza Liberman, of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. Register here.
Oppose New Housing Rule. The Trump Administration has proposed a rule making it easier for landlords, financial institutions and others to discriminate based on race, sex, national origin, disability, or other protected characteristics. Visit www.fightforhousingjustice.org to learn more and to submit your comment opposing this rule. Comments are due by October 18.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Congressional Recess. The House and Senate will be on recess September 30-October 14. Submit your meeting requests today.
Tuesday, September 10: RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar, 8:00 pm ET (a week later than normal). Overview of 2018 U.S. Census poverty data. Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/873308801 or dial (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 873 308 801. Find recordings and slides from previous webinars on the National Webinars page.
Thursday, September 12: Use Local Media to Move Legislators into Action training webinar, 8:30pm ET. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/422081397 or dial either (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, meeting ID: 422 081 397#.
Tuesday, September 17, U.S. Poverty Free Agents Calls, 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm ET. Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/324294681 or dial by phone at (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 324 294 681.
Thursday, September 19, Webinar: Wow, I got published! Making Media a Transformational Experience, 8:30 pm ET. Join here: https://results.zoom.us/j/586201507, or dial either (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, meeting ID: 586 201 507#.
Find other events on the RESULTS Events Calendar.
Other Resources
Learn more about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.
Do you have a new person in your RESULTS group or info to update? Use our Volunteer Information Form to add them.
Report your Grassroots Successes:
- What happened at your last lobby meeting?
- What media have you gotten published?
- Have you reached out to new people lately?
If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail Steven McGee at [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports.
RESULTS Staff directory.