News

Each year, Promise the Children (PTC) focuses on a number of important advocacy issues affecting children and families. We want to know from the PTC community: which issues are most important to you? Your feedback will help set our direction and fundraising goals for 2021. Please let us know your thoughts by taking our 30-second survey below!  

As we continue into the fall with many families still facing financial hardship as a result of the ongoing pandemic, here is a list of unemployment benefits related to coronavirus that are available to workers. These benefits are for those who have lost their jobs, those who have lost hours on their job, or those who are infected with coronavirus or are essential to family members who have contracted the virus. The first major unemployment relief allocation was a $600 read more…

What are we doing to feed our children? More than 10.6 million more workers were unemployed in July 2020 than in March 2020, and more workers than ever are facing a cutback in their hours.  Partial success: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has heeded the anti-hunger, education, youth-serving communities’ and bi-partisan call to extend waivers for critical child nutrition programs that ensure the growing number of children at risk of hunger can get the nutrition they need. This extension read more…

  Written for Promise the Children by Lacie Martin of raisethemwell.org     Few things are more difficult or stressful than working from home when you have children. And when your children are staying home more than usual because their preschool is closed or opened at a limited capacity, it can become overwhelming if you don’t come up with a good plan and strategy. Read on for information and resources to help you make sure that your kids are well-cared-for read more…

There are lessons to learn from the shutdown of child-care this spring in Massachusetts. How can child care centers work? Massachusetts designated 10,000 “emergency” free child-care slots for eligible “essential workers,” and disabled, and/or homeless children. About 2,500 spots were used. These slots are still open to eligible parents who are returning to work. We can’t verify the reason for this lack of use, but here are some suggestions: Perhaps “essential workers” were strictly defined and too many parents were read more…

There is no national child-care system. Working parents living on or close to minimum wage cannot afford to pay for licensed child care, rent, food, and transportation. They may be lucky enough to rely on a family member, or on a small group of neighbors. But they cannot necessarily rely on the safety of whatever arrangement they are able to make. Fewer than half the population of low waged families have access to quality, licensed child care. This is especially read more…

During these challenging times, we’ve rounded up a handful of resources for Nahant area residents in need of a little extra help to feed and support their families. We’ve also listed ways you can help these organizations continue to operate and support the wellbeing of children and families in our community. My Brother’s Table at 98 Willow Street in Lynn MA offers free prepared meals to go during the week from 12:00 to 4:30 PM. On Saturdays and Sundays a read more…

During these challenging times, we’ve rounded up a handful of resources for Taunton-area residents in need of a little extra help to feed and support their families. We’ve also listed ways you can help these organizations continue to operate and support the wellbeing of children in our community. Taunton Area Community Table (TacT) | 378 Bay Street, Taunton, MA TacT is still open to families for a new Grab & Go meal service. Their current hours are 11:15am–12:30pm Monday–Thursday. They read more…

Did you know that food stamps provide 10 times the relief offered by local food pantries? Both are necessary to feed families dependent on the minimum wage. Now–more than ever–we need to do our part to ensure resources are accessible to families who have been financially devastated by the global health crisis we are currently facing. We urge you to please call your federal legislators and ask them to support Speaker Pelosi and Democratic Leader Schumer in making food stamps a priority read more…

  When disaster strikes, we’re often amazed by the number of neighbors who rush to the front lines and the many community members whose first question is: how can I help? While those in our medical communities are in the best position to serve as our front line defenders, here are other ways you can help the Greater Lynn community during this trying time. (And please remember: wash your hands, don’t touch your face, and commit yourself and your families read more…