Help make monthly $$$ support for U.S. families permanent!
On July 15, the IRS began issuing monthly advanced tax credit payments to millions of families – up to $300 for each child age 5 and under, and up to $250 for each child ages 6 to 17. These much-needed payments, or “Child Checks,” made it possible for parents to pay for critical things like food, prescriptions, utilities, rent, child care, and school supplies. For families across the country, these Child Checks have been nothing short of a lifesaver after nearly two years of pandemic stress and struggle.
The expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) is one of the most powerful tools we’ve had in the last 50 years to fight child poverty in our country (it’s been estimated that it could cut child poverty in half). Yet there’s a huge challenge: These monthly payments are only scheduled to go until December 2021. (After that, families will have to wait until after they file their 2021 taxes to receive an additional tax credit, and the families who don’t make enough money to file taxes and most need the help will no longer be eligible.)
Congress is debating right now if they’re going to extend the expanded Child Tax Credit, and if they don’t take action to continue giving federal support to American families, millions of children and parents could find themselves underwater again. That’s why ParentsTogether, a national nonprofit parent organization, needs you to help make the expanded Child Tax Credit (what we call “Child Checks”) permanent, so low- and moderate-income families can continue to receive the support they need until their kids turn 18.
What are creators being asked to do?
- Create ONE TikTok video about ChildChecks, touching on two or more of the following themes:
- Educate families about Child Checks and the HUGE positive impact the program is already having.
- Call for Child Checks to be made permanent, and invite your followers to join you in calling on Congress to make this happen.
- Spread the word about what’s called a “non-filer” portal (www.GetCTC.org) for anyone who may not file taxes (and is missing out on their money!)
Campaign Timing
We are aiming for a big push September 20th through October 31st. Congress is debating right now what programs they will include in their Build Back Better bill, and which programs will get cut or diminished, and the CTC is at risk. That’s why it’s essential videos get posted before the end of October.
Want in on this campaign? Here’s what to do!
All you have to do is email your interest to [email protected]. Please use the subject line “ATTN: Child Checks creator campaign”.
Will creators be compensated?
YES!
Invited creators will be paid $500 per video to participate in this campaign. We ask that each creator create at least one video; we are happy to discuss additional videos if you’d like to continue posting about the campaign.
Helpful resources for your video creation
MESSAGING
We want creators to have the flexibility to speak to their followers in ways that work best for them while also ensuring that the core messages of the campaign are being communicated.
Following are the core messages your followers should know after viewing your video:
- Child Checks have been a huge success! Parents are making great use of the money, and these monthly payments have reduced food insecurity and financial distress for millions of families.
- Parents don’t want Child Checks taken away. There is a lot of parent excitement about Child Checks, and a great deal of expectation around the extension of Child Checks. We want Congress and other elected officials to see this as something parents are really fired up about and are watching closely.
- Rich and powerful interests are trying to cut Child Checks, and we can’t let them. All families – no matter if they’re Black, Brown, or white – benefit from monthly Child Checks simply to get by. We must stand up for families and prevent powerful people in Washington from cutting this important need from regular American families everywhere.
As part of this campaign, we are petitioning Congress to make Child Checks permanent for families as so many families are still in need of ongoing support. We ask that all creators link to the petition (using a custom link) in their posts. If it fits with your video concept, you might consider talking about the petition in your video clip as well.
VIDEO SPECIFICATIONS
- Videos must be posted between September 20th – October 31st, 2021.
- All videos are subject to brand review prior to posting. Brand review may require re-shoots. **Please allow 24-36 hours for brand approval prior to posting.**
- Videos may be whatever length is suitable for your followers and brand.
- Videos must be filmed vertically.
- Videos must contain captions. (This is easy to do with TikTok’s auto-captionining feature. Note that captions can be edited once they’ve been generated.)
- Videos may NOT contain children, additional branding information, or overtly partisan politicking, rhetoric, or grassroots lobbying.
- Video caption must include information about ParentsTogether’s petition urging Congress to make Child Checks permanent.
- Creator bio or Linktree must contain the link to ParentsTogether’s petition. A custom link will be sent to creators who commit to the campaign. (Creators may also choose to talk about this petition in the video itself.)
- In the case that sample captions are helpful – you might consider the following examples:
- Tell Congress not to take Child Checks away from families who need them! Sign the petition to make sure all families can get by – link in bio.
- Every family – Black, Brown, or white – deserves help. Don’t let the rich and powerful pressure Congress to take away Child Checks in December. Sign the petition in bio.
- Sign the petition to make Child Checks permanent! Link in bio.
- Parents & kids benefit from expanded Child Tax Credit payments! Families need Child Checks–tell Congress to make them permanent! Link in bio.
About the #ChildChecks Campaign
THE OPPORTUNITY
The past year has been incredibly difficult for millions of families. To help parents make ends meet, ParentsTogether and many other organizations have been advocating for the Expanded Child Tax Credit, or “Child Checks” – monthly payments to parents to help cover the huge expense of raising kids.
In January, Congress passed and President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP), expanding the Child Tax Credit (CTC) for 2021 – allowing millions more parents to benefit and sending families regular checks for each child age 17 and under. It’s a huge deal – but right now, Child Checks are scheduled to end in December unless Congress acts and not enough families know about it!
THE DETAILS
Before the ARP, the child tax credit was a refund parents got at tax time, if they paid taxes. Under the new plan, parents get more for each child and most importantly, they will receive the tax credit in the form of monthly payments that started on July 15. What makes this new policy especially transformative is that families do not need any earnings to qualify.
From July 2021 until April 15th, 2022, most families will get:
- $3,600 ($300 a month) per child for children ages 0 to 5.
- $3,000 ($250 a month) per child for children ages 6 to 17.
From July through December, payments will be distributed to families’ bank accounts on the 15th of the month. Families will get the remaining $1,500 to $1,800 per child when they file their 2021 annual taxes in Spring 2022.
These child checks will reduce poverty, improve child outcomes, and deliver massive social benefits. Experts predict that this policy alone will cut child poverty almost in half! And it will be even more transformational for communities hit hardest by the pandemic, cutting Black child poverty by 52%, Native American child poverty by 62%, and Hispanic child poverty by 45%.
THE CHALLENGE
Right now, our focus is on making sure families get the support they need, for as long as possible. We know bills and expenses won’t end in December, nor will families have magically recovered from the challenges of the pandemic. So ParentsTogether and many others are pushing to make sure the CTC expansion doesn’t get taken away from families and, instead, is made permanent, so families get monthly child checks until their kids turn 18.
Congress is considering that proposal right now, and there is widespread support among Democrats – making a victory possible. ParentsTogether is organizing parents to demand Congress make this important policy permanent, and any interested creators are invited to continue collaborating with us on future actions.
About ParentsTogether
ParentsTogether is a nonprofit organization with the mission of providing the content and support families need. We cover the latest research, policies, and trends affecting kids and families, so busy parents have the information they need to help their families thrive.
We know that parents can be an unstoppable force for good. The work we’ve done has included: protecting kids from online predators; ensuring that hungry kids can get free lunch in schools; helping parents foster a growth mindset in their children; building a vibrant digital community to support parents during the pandemic; and turning out millions of parents to vote. These actions – and many more – have proven that incredible things happen when parents show up for their families and communities.
Parent-led and parent-powered, ParentsTogether reaches over 2.5 million parents across the country via Facebook Messenger, SMS, email, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and web.