2-1-1 Connecticut 2-1-1 Child Care Child Development Infoline Community Results Center

September 2021

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Claim Your Child Tax Credit Earlier this month, in collaboration with the White House and US Department of the Treasury, Code for America launched a new portal designed to make it easier for eligible families to secure the Child Tax Credit. The portal, GetCTC, is free to use, accessible on desktops and mobile devices, and available in both English and Spanish. GetCTC makes it easier for families with low or no incomes to get the flexible cash they deserve—including the Advance Child Tax Credit and any of the three rounds of stimulus payments they may have missed out on.  Click here to check out the new GetCTC Portal! What is the Child Tax Credit?   The Child Tax Credit (CTC) was created in 1997 to help working families offset the cost of raising children. The American Rescue Plan Act, passed by Congress and signed by President Biden earlier this year, increased the amount of the CTC for 2021 to $3,600 per qualifying child under the age of 6 and $3,000 per qualifying child under the age of 18.   United Way of Connecticut is committed to raising awareness about the Child Tax Credit and helping to ensure that all eligible families secure the valuable credit.   For more information about the Child Tax Credit visit www.childtaxcredit.gov.

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program The Emergency Broadband Benefits (EBB) Program provides a series of monthly discounts for broadband service and associated equipment to qualifying households.   Eligible households can receive: $50 / month discount on broadband service and associated equipment rentals;  Up to a $75/month discount for qualifying Tribal land households; and  A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer. Visit getemergencybroadband.org to see if you are eligible and to learn more about the Emergency Broadband Benefit.

Support Groups 211 Connecticut maintains a database that includes nearly 500 support groups focused on a variety of needs and life circumstances including:  Parent Support Groups Domestic Violence Support Groups Substance Use Support Groups Support Groups for Loss of Loved Ones Suicide Survivor Support Groups Alzheimer's Support Groups Kinship Caregiver Support Groups And many more! Support groups create an environment where individuals can share their experiences, strengths, and hopes with others.  Click HERE for a complete list of support group topics or visit  211ct.org and search "support groups" for a list of specific support groups offered across the state. If you or someone you care about is in need of emotional support, information and/or resources, consider learning more about an appropriate support group or calling 2-1-1 to speak with a Call Specialist about other community resources.

Are You Registered to Vote? September 28th was National Voter Registration Day. National Voter Registration Day is held on the fourth Tuesday of September every year and is supported by election officials from both sides of the aisle. Every year, millions of eligible voters are unable to cast a ballot because of a missed registration deadline. In Connecticut, registering to vote is easy and can be done online in just minutes.  Visit https://voterregistration.ct.gov to: Register to vote in Connecticut Change your name and/or address on your current registration record Enroll in a political party or change party enrollment

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The mission of United Way of Connecticut is to help meet the needs of Connecticut and its residents by providing information, education and connection to services.