Massachusetts has a chance to lift 41,000 children out of deep poverty. We can’t let it slip by.
Sep 30, 2021
Cash assistance in MA is still below the Deep Poverty Level. In a state as expensive as ours, this is unacceptable. EMPath testified in support of a bill that would raise grants and get cash to families who need it most.
Yesterday, Wednesday, September 29, EMPath staff and families testified before Massachusetts state legislators in support of a bill that would put more cash in the pockets of those who need it most – including many families in EMPath programs.
H.199/S.96, An Act to Lift Kids Out of Deep Poverty, is one of EMPath’s priority bills. Led by the Lift Our Kids MA Coalition, the bill would raise the value of cash assistance grants (known as Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children, or TAFDC, in MA). These monthly grants are critical for helping families with few resources meet their basic needs. But right now, they are far too low.
When we wrote this blog post in early 2020, the maximum grant for a family of three with was $593/month. We were excited about recent increases to the grants that brought that number up to $712 – including a historic win last year that raised grants for the first time in over 20 years. But cash assistance in our state is still far too low – well below the federal poverty level of $1,830/month for three and even below the Deep Poverty level of $915/month. And in Massachusetts, one of the most expensive states in the country, families need much more than the national average to survive.
This is an economic justice issue and a racial justice one. Children in MA living in Deep Poverty are predominantly Black and Latinx. More than half of the families receiving TAFDC are Black or Latinx, even though Black and Latinx families comprise less than one-fifth of Massachusetts families.
“Deep poverty results in immeasurable harm to children. Extreme poverty causes children long-term cognitive, emotional, and physical health challenges resulting from toxic stress,” Chelsea Sedani, EMPath’s Director of Advocacy, told the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. “As EMPath’s programs are designed to address the effects of toxic stress, we witness these challenges daily. Additional cash would alleviate some of the stress that children and parents feel when their most basic needs are not met.”
Many in EMPath’s programs rely on these grants to support their families. One program participant, Myshelle, recorded video testimony that she shared with legislators. “I’m currently in college. It’s hard to maintain going to college along with my everyday life because not only do I have my bills, I also have to get books for school and make sure my computer is always up and running,” she said. “An increase of even $100 more a month would be helpful.”
Chelsea shared other EMPath families’ perspectives with legislators.
“Additional TAFDC grant money would serve to pay utility bills like for the hot water that is needed to sanitize and purify everything – to give the kids baths, cook, wash clothes, etc.,” one program participant said. “A lot of families were having a hard time making ends meet before and now…I’m worried about being able to find and afford what I need for my family.”
Additional cash assistance would help pay for “pain medication, hand soap, laundry detergent, winter coats and shoes, to name a few,” another family shared.
The legislation calls for raising grants by 20% a year until they reach 50% of the Federal Poverty Level. The bill would impact nearly 25,000 households and lift over 41,000 children out of deep poverty.
It’s simple: families need more money to survive. This legislation would give Massachusetts kids a better chance at success and alleviate some of the stress that comes from living in poverty. For the wellbeing of children and families across Massachusetts, the Legislature must pass this bill.
EMPath is a national non-profit that dramatically improves the lives of people struggling to make ends meet. Because creating economic opportunity is multifaceted, our approach is too. We offer a unique combination of direct service, learning exchange, and research and advocacy for what works. This “virtuous circle” allows each part of our work to inform what we know, do, and share with others to seed systemic change.
In partnership with coalition members, EMPath’s advocacy efforts have resulted in numerous wins over the years, including lifting the family cap, increasing cash assistance for the first time in over 20 years, and securing funding for critical programs.