By Katie Fleischer for Ms. Magazine.
Broadcast version by Lily Böhlke for West Virginia News Service reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service Collaboration

COVID-19 and the unprecedented economic crisis it caused made 2020 one of the most economically challenging years for communities across the country. Almost two-thirds of Americans lived paycheck to paycheck during the pandemic, with women and people of color facing additional hardships like increased unemployment and disproportionate childcare burdens.

Yet 2020 was also a revolutionary year, with necessity becoming a driving force towards increased awareness of the challenges facing low-income Americans and transformative new policies-such as Biden's child tax credit expansion (CTC) and the stimulus checks provided by the CARES Act.

A recent U.S. Census Bureau study showed the $1,200 (plus $500 per child) stimulus checks distributed during the pandemic led to the lowest U.S. poverty rate on record-9.1 percent in 2020, down from 11.8 percent in 2019-and lifted 8.5 million people out of poverty. (The poverty line is about $26,496 per year for a family of four.) Without the stimulus checks, the poverty rate would have instead jumped to 12.7 percent, the Census Bureau estimates.

And the expanded CTC, which provides parents $3,000 to $3,600 per child during 2021, is expected to show similar results: Experts estimate the plan will decrease child poverty by 40 percent, lifting more than four million children out of poverty.

Now, advocates hope the successes of those economic interventions will provide momentum for the continuation of these policies and implementation of new federal programs like a guaranteed income. While transformational for all Americans battling poverty (over 37 million Americans), these economic interventions would especially help working moms, low-income women and women of color.

Despite widespread bipartisan support for both provisions, neither the stimulus payments nor the CTC were designed to be permanent solutions. Stimulus checks were intended to be one-time offers to help Americans during the worst of the pandemic, and Biden's expansion of the CTC will end in December-though a majority of voters want it to become a permanent policy.

A more permanent solution could come from the Build Back Better Act (BBB), Biden's signature bill working its way through Congress, that would provide funding for childcare and free education, extend the CTC, require 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave and implement many other transformative feminist policies. But the bill will require approval from every Democratic senator, and Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) and Joe Manchin (W.V.) have been reluctant to agree.

While policymakers negotiate over Build Back Better, poverty rates have already started increasing again, signaling the urgent need for more permanent stimulus policies. This uptick in the poverty rate will have very real consequences for low-income people, especially parents and women of color.

One mom, Johnnie (last name withheld for anonymity), receives guaranteed income through the Magnolia Mother's Trust (MMT) program, which provides low-income Black mothers $1,000 per month for a year. Johnnie worked as an essential worker during the pandemic, but was forced to quit her job to care for her daughter.

In the Front and Center series, she shared the impact the stimulus check had on her life:

"The first stimulus check helped me catch up on back rent since I didn't have any income while I was ill in early 2020, which really helped me. If I would've had some assistance from my employer, I also wouldn't have been behind on my rent. Not having any income during the time I was out sick was really challenging; my car also got repossessed. So it took until getting my stimulus check that I was able to catch up on my car payments and insurance and get my car back, which was the way I got to work.

"I really think the government needs to have some kind of program to make sure that essential workers are taken care of if there's another pandemic. I really just think that employers and the government need to be prepared better for something like this-have supplies, have support programs, have a plan in place. I just think of all of the people who lost their lives and it makes me so sorry all of this happened the way it did."

Another MMT mom, I'esha, contracted COVID-19 last summer as she worked multiple customer service jobs, and was later unable to work due to a high-risk pregnancy. Along with her guaranteed income payments, the CTC helped keep her family afloat:

"To get the child tax credit payments that started coming last month has been a huge help. I was able to use the first payment in July to get prepared and buy my children their school things-there's so much to get. The clothes, the shoes, the school supplies. I swear that list gets longer every year.

"If I could talk to President Biden, I would tell him that he should make the child tax credit permanent, because so many people are still unemployed and the pandemic is not over. And people need help even without a pandemic going on."

Even one-time cash payments helped low-income families escape cycles of debt and poverty, and plan for future hardships. But while the stimulus checks were an important stopgap measure, true economic justice will require addressing poverty's root causes. Even with the reduction of poverty during 2020, the racial disparities were stark: 8.1 percent of white Americans were below the poverty line, compared to 14.6 percent of Black Americans.

Any effective plan designed to reduce poverty must focus on those most affected. One strategy economic justice experts are advocating for is guaranteed income, which involves recurring payments directed to specific groups. By focusing on marginalized communities, guaranteed income can address economic issues caused by systemic racism and sexism, and can give struggling Americans a way to meet their basic needs and invest in their futures.

The MMT program puts this policy into action, demonstrating that giving women an economic safety net leads to families escaping poverty and having the ability to set themselves and their families up for success. One mom participating in the program, Roneisha, has been able to use the guaranteed income to escape a crushing cycle of debt and poverty:

"The struggle with the job hunt makes the child tax credit payments and the guaranteed income I get through the Magnolia Mother's Trust even more important this year as I work to find a job that pays an even semi-livable wage. It really helped me when I was preparing for my baby to come, I was able to get pretty much everything he needed. At the baby shower all we needed was just a few diapers and things.

"Before I got that call that I was selected to be part of the program, I was really struggling to keep on top of my bills and responsibilities. And now that I'm on this fixed income, it's helped me get really good at managing my money and making sure I'm staying on top of everything and using this opportunity wisely. I'm hopeful that I can only go up from here."

Tia agreed, adding:

"I know people say that if you have programs like these, people will stop working. I don't personally understand that-I mean, I think it's fine if someone made that choice, but for me I'll always want to be working, I want to be adding to my money, not decreasing it. It's not about not working; it's about just being able to take a little time off-to take a week and spend it with your kids, then go back to work. I wasn't able to do that before, to have that time off without being worried about covering the bills.

"And the things I was able to do in that year, I'm still benefiting from now. And I really don't think I would've been able to do those things otherwise, or it would've taken so much longer. So just being able to accomplish things faster, that was huge. For me, being able to get out of affordable housing was such a big step."

On an individual level, guaranteed income, even for just a year, made a tremendous difference in the lives of these women and their families. And the results speak for themselves-the percentage of MMT participants able to pay all their bills without additional support soared from 37 percent to 80 percent during the program.

Similarly, after receiving guaranteed payments for a year, 85 percent of participating moms had completed their high school education, compared to 63 percent at the beginning of the program. MMT mothers were also 20 percent more likely to have children performing at or above grade level, and were 27 percent more likely to seek needed medical care than other moms not receiving guaranteed income.

A federal guaranteed income could decimate poverty rates and help marginalized communities grow and recover from generations of economic challenges. Like the stimulus checks, guaranteed income puts cash directly into the hands of people who need it most, without requiring people to use it in specific ways. This economic freedom allows recipients to make the best decisions for their families, and gives them the freedom to save, spend or invest in their long term goals.

By trusting low-income people and giving them the opportunity to develop a safety net, a federal guaranteed income policy would help address poverty in the U.S., prioritize the most vulnerable communities and help the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Katie Fleischer wrote this article for Ms. Magazine.


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GLOUCESTER, Ma. -- As cold weather moves in, agencies are working to make sure Massachusetts residents know how to apply for fuel assistance and weatherization, if they think they might struggle with their heating bills this winter.

Oil and gas prices are going up. The price of natural gas has nearly doubled in the last year.

Mary Knittle, director of energy resources for the Worcester Community Action Council, said the monthly bills for everybody, including many of their low-income clients, are going to be higher. But she said Community Action Agencies and the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) can help.

"Coming out of all the uncertainty and trauma of this pandemic time, it's more important than ever for every household that could be eligible to participate in a program that can help to give them that health and safety and a little bit of relief," Knittle asserted.

Knittle noted a family of four can earn more than $78,000 a year and still be eligible. She added Community Action Agencies can help provide LED light bulbs and assist in converting oil-based heating systems to more climate-friendly heat pumps. She pointed out they also can help replace inefficient appliances, although there is a backlog because of supply-chain issues.

Peggy Hegarty-Steck, CEO of Action Inc. in Gloucester, said sometimes when folks are put in the position where they struggle to budget for increased heating costs, they end up using unsafe alternative heat sources, such as improper use of space heaters, kitchen stoves or fireplaces.

"It's an income- and housing-support program, too," Hegarty-Steck argued. "Because people have to decide between paying for heat, paying for rent, paying for medicine, and when they can't afford their heating bill sometimes they'll forgo groceries or prescriptions or other basic needs."

She added the majority of the families Community Action agencies serve are families with children and older members who are more vulnerable when they are without heat.

Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, said the recently signed federal bipartisan infrastructure bill includes about $500 million over the next five years for the federal LIHEAP program. He stressed it appears between $2 million and $3 million will be available each year for Massachusetts.

"Those programs not only have a direct impact on the families that they benefit, but they also have an impact on reducing our carbon release into the environment," Tarr remarked. "And they have a direct impact on efficiency in the way that we use our resources."

DETROIT -- As cold weather moves in, state agencies are working to make sure Michiganders know how to apply for the Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) if they think they might struggle with their heating bills this winter.

MEAP helps low-income residents pay their energy bills on time, apply for affordable payment plans and utilize energy services to increase efficiency and keep bills down.

Shama Mounzer, integration executive director for the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency, said many of the clients they serve make between 100% and 150% of the poverty level, which equates to a family of three making less than $24,000 a year.

"We see usually average bills in the wintertime of $400 to $500 a month," Mounzer noted. "And looking at the income of our households that we see, how can they afford really paying those high bills?"

Mounzer pointed out to access the MEAP program, residents can apply for state emergency relief through the state Department of Health and Human Services. She added it is important to contact your local Community Action agency if you have any questions about the process or what documents are needed.

Mounzer emphasized in addition to providing financial assistance to help folks pay their bills, agencies also help with weatherization, stressing it is particularly important in communities where homes are not recently updated.

"The usage is very high, and that is also very tied to the structure and the condition of the homes in Wayne County," Mounzer stated. "So a lot of our homes, they need to be weatherized, they don't have the appropriate insulation to really keep the energy and the heat inside the house."

Experts recommended making sure your heating system is upgraded and working as efficiently as possible to keep bills down. They also suggested checking filters and vents are clean; working to caulk, weatherstrip and seal drafty doors and windows; and to open blinds and curtains during the day to take advantage of the natural heat from sunlight.

By Katie Fleischer for Ms. Magazine.
Broadcast version by Lily Böhlke for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service Collaboration

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Earlier this month, Congress successfully passed a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure framework (BIF), sending it to President Biden, who signed it into law last week. The bill focuses on traditional infrastructure, designating billions towards maintaining and updating roads, bridges and water systems, and expanding Internet access across the country. But while many congressional Democrats are celebrating the passage of the bipartisan bill, some progressives are worried about the side of infrastructure that the bill ignores: "human" or "social" infrastructure.

The infrastructure bill is meant to be part of a set, but its sibling bill, the Build Back Better (BBB) Act, is facing a slower slog in Congress-specifically, the Senate, after the House of Representatives passed the BBB last Friday.

The bill, passed largely along party lines 220 to 213, represents "a giant step forward," said President Biden. "Above all, it puts us on the path to build our economy back better than before by rebuilding the backbone of America: working people and the middle class."

The BBB focuses on investing in childcare, preschool, paid family leave and maintaining Biden's expanded child tax credit (CTC). It also sets aside money for addressing climate change and increasing access to affordable housing.

The legislation now moves to the Senate where the paid leave provision has been a sticking point for Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), despite widespread bipartisan support. The BBB would create the first national paid family leave policy in the U.S., providing four weeks of paid leave. It would also extend the expanded CTC for one year, provide money to invest in maternal health, increase access to affordable healthcare and set aside funding to help cover home care for elderly people and disabled people.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, many conservative lawmakers-and some moderates-are balking at the $1.75 trillion price tag that comes with these unprecedented policies that they see as unnecessary expenses. Before Friday's vote came together, moderate representatives had pledged to delay a vote in the House until BBB's effect on the national debt was scored by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). They promised to vote for the bill as long as the CBO finds that the BBB will have a minimal impact on the national debt.

Progressives argue the BBB seems to be facing an unfair double standard, because the BIF, which has now become law, will add an estimated $256 billion to the debt, according to the CBO.

This double standard is an example of pervasive biases that causes some progressive bills to face disproportional opposition. Too often, policies that are perceived to be "feminine" or unequally benefiting women are dismissed in favor of more "serious" policies.

These two infrastructure bills are no exception. The BIF passed with bipartisan support, with lawmakers from across the aisle coming together to pass the monumental bill that prioritizes industries like construction and civil engineering. It's no coincidence that almost all of the jobs created by the BIF will go to men, while the BBB, which focuses on things like childcare, elder care and paid family leave, is still stalled in Congress.

But while social spending is often dismissed as only benefiting women, policies like the CTC, paid family leave and guaranteed income result in better outcomes for everyone. During the COVID-19 pandemic, parents-particularly moms-were forced to leave the workforce in droves to take care of their children. But these policies provide a path towards reentering the workforce, resulting in more families having access to health insurance, multiple salaries and other resources like paid medical leave.

One low-income mom, Johnnie (last name withheld for anonymity), explained:

"During the pandemic, it was really hard for me because it was mandatory for me to go to work, but then my daughter was home from school and I didn't have anyone to be there to help her. If I would've had some assistance from my employer, I also wouldn't have been behind on my rent. I really think the government needs to have some kind of program to make sure that essential workers are taken care of if there's another pandemic. I really just think that employers and the government need to be prepared better for something like this-have supplies, have support programs, have a plan in place."

Pandemic-era policies like the expanded CTC have had a very real impact on the lives of low-income families. Even the BBB only extends the CTC for another year. But establishing a permanent CTC-and introducing other federal policies like guaranteed income-would result in unprecedented growth for families.

Sequaya, a low-income Black mom receiving $1,000 each month in guaranteed income from the Magnolia Mother's Trust (MMT) program, reflected on how the CTC has impacted her daughter's life:

"The new child tax credit payments have helped me a lot, especially since I've just gone from getting paid every week to having zero income. It's helped to put shoes on my daughter's feet and food in the fridge until my SNAP benefits come through. It's a big relief to wake up and just know, 'Okay, I'm not going to have to borrow money today because I have that extra help coming in.' It's very helpful."

Another MMT mom, I'esha, agrees that federal social infrastructure is key to supporting low-income Americans even after the pandemic.

"To get the child tax credit payments that started coming last month has been a huge help. I was able to use the first payment in July to get prepared and buy my children their school things-there's so much to get. And now that I have the guaranteed income money coming in, I don't have to worry about whether I can afford bills this month or be concerned about affording household supplies."

"I would love to see a program like the Magnolia Mother's Trust offered to more people, too. The government should want to pitch in a little more to help with programs like guaranteed income to help more families... If I could talk to President Biden, I would tell him that he should make the child tax credit permanent, because so many people are still unemployed and the pandemic is not over. And people need help even without a pandemic going on."

The COVID pandemic has made it clear that investments in social infrastructure policies have monumental effects on not just women, but their children and other family members as well. For the families receiving guaranteed income through MMT, even just one year of receiving $1,000 per month made a tremendous difference. The percentage of trust participants able to pay all their bills without additional support soared from 37 percent to 80 percent during the program.

Similarly, after receiving guaranteed payments for a year, 85 percent of participating moms had completed their high school education, compared to 63 percent at the beginning of the program. MMT families were also 20 percent more likely to have children performing at or above grade level, and were 27 percent more likely to seek needed medical care than other families not receiving guaranteed income.

And the benefits weren't limited to within MMT families. Several moms were able to go back to school, find stable housing and even start their own businesses, investing it back into their communities. The BBB recognizes that supporting small businesses is an important part of helping communities recover from the economic crisis caused by the pandemic, and that "soft" infrastructure is a key part of that recovery.

A recent report found that 66 percent of small business owners believe the federal government should support access to affordable child care, and more than half of small business owners say that a lack of childcare funding has had a negative impact on their employees and business. Additionally, 72 percent of small business owners have employees with at least one child under 13, but only 28 percent can currently afford to offer benefits related to child care.

With hundreds of thousands of parents-especially moms-dropping out of the workforce during the pandemic, many economic justice experts agree that the BBB is an opportunity to show how policies that center low-income families can improve everyone's quality of life. Instead of continuing to overlook policies due to sexist stereotypes about who benefits from social spending, Americans can and should embrace human infrastructure as a path forward towards economic recovery.

Passing the BBB and advocating for other federal policies, like guaranteed income, will prioritize the economic stability of everyone, not just male-dominated industries. And it's clear that policies like paid family leave and the CTC don't just benefit women, they benefit entire communities. Investing in traditionally female-dominated industries like childcare will give struggling Americans the support they need to recover from the pandemic, set their children up for success and rebuild their communities.

Katie Fleischer wrote this article for Ms. Magazine.


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