Sandy Springs, Georgia — On the third day of the Care Economy Week of Action, Rep. Lucy McBath toured the Community Assistance Center (CAC) in Sandy Springs. The CAC was founded by local faith-based community members to provide food, clothing, and centralize assistance to local families and individuals seeking help in the Sandy Springs and Dunwoody communities. During her visit, McBath highlighted her support of the Child Tax Credit included in the American Rescue Plan. With the additional payments for children and parents beginning to arrive next month, it’s expected many American families will use the funds to meet their family’s basic needs like food, clothing, and child care.
“The COVID-19 pandemic caused economic hardship for nearly every American, and many are still struggling with the lingering effects of this crisis,” McBath said. “As residents continue to get vaccinated and remain on a strong trajectory toward our new normal, it is so important that we do everything we can to provide for our neighbors who are still in need of assistance to recover from the devastation the pandemic brought to our economy. I am grateful for the incredible services the CAC provides to our community, and I was so glad to spend some time with them today.”
Rep. McBath continues to highlight the forthcoming Child Tax Credit payments which will put more money into the pockets of hard-working families. The historic American Rescue Plan expanded the Child Tax Credit to up to $3,600 per child for children ages 0 to 5 and $3,000 per child for children ages 6 to 17. Families could get monthly payments of up to $300 per child beginning as soon as July, according to the Treasury Department. The funding will lift nearly 7,000 children in the district out of poverty, and provide many more families with extra money to spend on their needs. For more information on the Child Tax Credit, see this release from McBath’s office in May.
The CAC provides food to approximately 600 families a month, with many families visiting on a weekly basis. The organization offers non-perishable groceries, produce, and fresh food sourced from volunteer donations as well as excess fresh and prepared food donations from local restaurants and grocery stores. Clients who utilize food assistance from CAC are able to shop for their own food with vouchers. At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CAC reported receiving four times as many requests for assistance than in previous years. During the visit, McBath toured the CAC’s thrift store, market, and on-site garden. Previously, as part of the Care Economy Week of Action, McBath visited a local child development center and spent an afternoon helping distribute feminine hygiene products and baby supplies with an Atlanta-area nonprofit. At both events, McBath highlighted the support coming to local families via the American Rescue Plan.