As Long Island Families Struggle to Afford Necessary School Supplies, Calls for an Expanded Child Tax Credit Grow Louder

Empire State Voices, Economic Security Project Donate Backpacks and School Supplies for Long Island Families in Need

LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK — Yesterday, Empire State Voices and Economic Security Project Action joined forces to donate $2,000 worth of backpacks and other necessary school supplies to the Elmont Cultural Center, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, and Naeem Justice for their back-to-school giveaways. The supplies will be distributed to local Long Island families in need as children prepare for the return to school over the next several weeks.

Empire State Voices and Economic Security Project Action joined forces to donate $2,000 worth of backpacks and necessary school supplies for Long Island families in need. | Credit: EMPIRE STATE VOICES

While inflation has continued to cool and unemployment remains at record lows, prices remain high on everything from groceries to rent, and families across the country are feeling the strain. Over 75% of parents say that they are being asked to spend too much ahead of the upcoming school year, with families expecting to spend an average of $586 per child. This financial pressure is felt particularly hard on Long Island, where residents have been struggling with a cost-of-living crisis that has impacted their ability to afford everything from rent and utilities to groceries and school supplies.

The continued burden of high costs despite positive numbers for the broader economy has revived calls for an expansion of the child tax credit. In 2021, the Biden-Harris administration’s American Rescue Plan temporarily expanded these benefits, providing low-income families $3,600 for each child under age 6 and $3,000 for children ages 6-17. This provided a critical lifeline to struggling families, lifting 242,000 of New York’s children out of poverty. Overall, 3.6 million—87% of children in the state—benefited from the program under the expansion.

Despite this overwhelming success, Republicans in Congress refused to support efforts to make the expansion permanent, causing it to expire after just one year and leading to an unprecedented rise in child poverty nationwide. Now, 1,075,000 children in New York are excluded from receiving full benefits because their parents earn too little.

Over 75% of parents say that they are being asked to spend too much ahead of the upcoming school year, with families expecting to spend an average of $586 per child. | Credit: EMPIRE STATE VOICES

“The expanded child tax credit allowed countless New York families to sleep easier at night, knowing they would be able to afford basic necessities like school supplies and groceries,” said Dylan Wheeler, NY-04 Regional Organizing Director for Empire State Voices. “It’s not often you see a policy that is so effective so quickly, but the extended child tax credit was able to lift nearly a quarter million New York's children out of poverty in just the first year. Imagine the impact it could have if we made that relief permanent.”

“Three years ago, parents in New York and across the country experienced the transformative power of the expanded Child Tax Credit. In New York, that meant putting upwards of $450 back into the pockets of families to help them make ends meet each month, including the ability to fully prepare for the new school year,” said Anna Aurilio, Senior Campaigns Director for Economic Security Project Action. “The expanded Child Tax Credit was - and again could be - a vital tool for millions of parents just trying to cover the essentials, like school supplies, clothes, and rent, and should be made permanent.”

The continued burden of high costs despite positive numbers for the broader economy has revived calls for an expansion of the child tax credit. | Credit: EMPIRE STATE VOICES

“We appreciate the generosity of Empire State Voices and others as we get ready for our back-to-school drive,” said Tamar Bailey, Events Coordinator for the Elmont Cultural Center. “Every day it seems like it has become harder to keep up with the rising cost of school supplies and more. This is why it’s so important for our leaders to support measures that help families, such as expanding the Child Tax Credit. Actions like that would go a long way toward helping families cover their day-to-day.”

“The MLK Community Center appreciates the kindness and generosity of organizations and individuals coming together to help fulfill the needs of the community,” said Patrick Morris, Director of the MLK Community Center in Rockville Centre. “These collaborative efforts allow us to assist parents in offsetting the cost of school supplies and allow children to be prepared for a successful school year. We cannot do it alone. It takes a village.”

“Naeem Justice appreciates the support and outreach of ESV,” said Noah Burroughs, Trustee of Naeem Justice. “We are most appreciative of the assistance of organizations that collaborate to help assist parents or in need of supplies to help their children. Having the opportunity to assist with their needs is why we partner with organizations like ESV to make this possible.”

To learn more about Empire State Voices, please reach out to press@empirestatevoices.org

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About Empire State Voices 

Empire State Voices (ESV) is a multi-year campaign dedicated to amplifying the voices of everyday working New Yorkers. ESV is fighting for economic policies that make life more affordable for constituents and holding members of Congress across the state accountable when they fail to do the same.

About Economic Security Project Action

Economic Security Project Action mobilizes resources and people behind ideas that build economic power for all Americans. As an ideas advocacy organization, we legitimize our issues by supporting cutting-edge research and elevating champions, win concrete policy victories for the communities that need to see change now, and provoke the conventional wisdom to shift what’s considered possible. Our team of academics, organizers, practitioners, and culture makers disburse grants, run issue campaigns, develop creative interventions and research products to support the field and coordinate events to encourage investment and action from others.