Even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 38% of Connecticut’s households were living paycheck to paycheck or falling behind.

Households that lack the income to pay for necessities such as housing, food, childcare, healthcare, technology and transportation are ALICE, an acronym that stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.

This legislative session, Connecticut United Ways are supporting three practical and proven policies that can help build a bridge to stability for Connecticut ALICE families: (1) Create a permanent, fully refundable Connecticut Child Tax Credit (CTC), Maintain the Connecticut earned income tax credit (EITC) at 41.5% of the federal rate into future years, and (3) Continue universal access to no-cost meals for the 2022/2023 academic year.



This newsletter unpacks various ways you can let your voice be heard. We are committed to carrying on the fight for the health, education and financial stability of all Connecticut residents.

SPOTLIGHT

ALICE households need a permanent, fully refundable CT Child Tax Credit in order to make ends meet. NOW is the time for Connecticut to join with the rest of the nation to support families with the high cost of raising children. Call or email your legislator today to advocate for a permanent $600/child for up to three children.

IN HER OWN WORDS...

My name is Hadley and I’m in fifth grade at Charter Oak International Academy in West Hartford. I have always been involved with the things my mom is doing for work at the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence and it has taught me to speak up.  

Equity is very important to me. I ran for Kid Governor and my platform was to draw attention to equity in girls’ sports. School Meals 4 All is also about equity. The world needs to be fixed and advocating for no-cost school meals is somewhere I can contribute. I like that my friends and family get to see me speaking up for important issues like this one.

Access to no-cost meals is important to me because I see it around me every day and it changed so quickly. It makes me feel bad when my friends don’t have lunch and I know that it makes them feel even worse. The cafeteria was the one place where all students felt equal in school.

At my school, when meals were free, you got breakfast when you walked through the door, and everyone got lunch with no questions asked. The line for lunch was always long and crowded because there were so many kids. Now, the definition of a long lunch line is 10 people.

All my friends used to eat lunch but since free meals stopped, I see that some of my friends don't eat anymore. They don't buy lunch and they don't bring lunch from home. Some friends say that they will get money from their parents, and some say that their families will go grocery shopping soon, but every week is the same and my friends still don't eat. I see that it makes them feel bad but asking if I can help also makes them feel bad because they feel different from everyone else. Some days I buy snacks and milk for them, but I know it's not enough.

Even though I try to help, I know that a bigger change is needed to solve this issue for all kids. I think it’s important for adults to see kids speak up because it makes them pay more attention and realize that we do see things and notice what is happening around us.

A hungry child can’t learn, and no child should be made to feel less than because he/she can’t afford a school meal.

In 2021, more than 40% of ALICE children lived in households that couldn’t afford enough food. Most of these families did not qualify for free/reduced price school meals or for SNAP.

YOU can help extend no-cost breakfast and lunch to all students in Connecticut public schools!

UPCOMING EVENTS

It's Tax Time

Plus, check out these resources for more information: 

• Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Earned Income Tax Credit
• Tax Forms: Federal and State of Connecticut

MEET + GREET

John Biello

Deputy Commissioner

CT Department of

Revenue Services

In the summer of 2022, the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services (DRS) played a proactive role in engaging Connecticut families to make them aware of the Child Tax Rebate (which awarded up to $250 per child for up to three children for qualifying families), because the Rebate required qualifying families to file directly with the agency. John Biello reports that “This was quite different from how we typically work, as we don’t usually facilitate tax incentive programs directly. However, we were asked by Governor Lamont to take the lead on this initiative because we had the existing infrastructure to issue refunds and checks.”

DRS has an outstanding team of people who were able to provide direct relief to many Connecticut families through this rebate. In fact, they  received 238,668 applications reporting 353,005 dependents and more than $85 million in rebates were paid.

“Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve run eight similar programs where we’ve provided support for businesses and individual taxpayers alike. We were proud to do our part to contribute to the economic well-being of the state,” shares Biello. “We get it – taxes aren’t always a fun subject to discuss. At DRS, we work to instill public confidence in the integrity and fairness of tax collection while demonstrating how taxes improve our lives, from the roads we drive on to the statewide services we enjoy. The Commissioner and I are committed to working alongside the Governor’s administration to implement initiatives that benefit everyone, including the Child Tax Rebate and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).”

When John isn’t busy working with tax policies to help Connecticut families, he enjoys spending time with family and friends. He shares that he has “been married to my wife Lynda for 32 years. We have three adult children, one of whom is married and another one who is getting married this summer. We enjoy spending time with all of them and our two-year old German Shepard named Rein.” 



Tax policy plays a critical role in family and childhood wellbeing, particularly among ALICE families.

DID YOU KNOW?

There are many ways to lift your voice and get involved: 

• Sign up to receive regular ALICE Alerts 
• Call or email your legislator
• Sign on to SchoolMeals4AllCT

VISIT US:

United Way of Connecticut

1344 Silas Deane Highway, Rocky Hill, CT 06067