The monthly Child Tax Credit payments in 2021 provided cash relief that ensured mental, physical, and financial stability for West Virginian families. Now without the monthly CTC, parents like myself have had to afford record-high costs of living on our own. 

Recently I became a single parent with sole custody of my son. Last year, the lack of childcare and after-school transportation wouldn’t allow me to return to work at a regular 9-5 job. So I decided to take it upon myself to launch my own business and work from home. Now I have a digital media company that I am proud to call my own. That leap of faith would not have been possible had we never received the monthly CTC. 

There are benefits to being self-made, but the stress and pressure of not having a guaranteed paycheck weigh heavily every single day. The stress of affording groceries or keeping a roof over our heads makes doing creative work for my business even more challenging. Inspiration is hard to come by when survival in this economy is brutal.

Renting the lot our home is on costs $240 a month. When the Child Tax Credit payment of $250 a month was coming in, it meant that I could afford our rent each month. The fear of not having a place for my son to live was lifted. I was able to focus on my business and my creativity returned in full force. My business saw success, and instead of draining my savings, I was adding to them.

America needs to keep moving forward, our families need reassurance in these difficult times. So many families who were hoping for a brighter future are unsure now that the monthly distribution ended in January. I ask our Senators to find a way to renew the monthly CTC once again.

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