Help Is Here Roundup: Federal, State, and Local Officials Continue to Praise American Rescue Plan as it Reduces Poverty and Provides Relief

Federal, State, and Local officials from across the country continue to see benefits from the American Rescue Plan for their constituents months after its passage.

Last Friday, the second round of Child Tax Credit payments went out to more than 61 million children and their families. This comes after lawmakers praised new Census Bureau data showing that the first round of child tax credit payments slashed hunger rates by nearly 24 percent to the lowest rate recorded since the beginning of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, state and local governments continue to use ARP funding to revitalize their communities. Last week Indiana and New Jersey won approval for plans to use ARP money to safely reopen schools. Schools such as Arkansas Tech and Erie County Community College have used ARP funds to cancel student debt and provide relief to students struggling from the pandemic.

See more examples below of how the American Rescue Plan continues to benefit communities across America:

HELP IS HERE STATE AND LOCAL STORIES:

AR: Arkansas Tech wiping out nearly $2 million in student debt. [5 News Online, 08/12/2021]

AR: Batesville School District uses COVID relief money to focus on mental health. [KAIT8, 08/10/2021]

CA: Mayor Gloria launches $12M in COVID relief grants for small businesses, nonprofits. [CBS 8, 08/09/2021]

CA: $19 million in relief funds to go to 28 local entertainment venues. [Fox 5, 08/09/2021]

FL: City to expand COVID-19 testing, vaccines to 5 new spots across Duval. [ActionNews Jax, 08/10/2021]

IN: US Department of Education approves Indiana’s plan to use pandemic funds to support K-12 schools, distributes final $666M. [Fox 59, 08/12/2021]

IL: $1M in COVID-19 relief for Illinois fire departments. [WGEM, 08/09/2021]

IL: Illinois county spends $353,000 on digitizing its records. [Journal Gazette & Times-Courier, 08/08/2021]

IL: Illinois launches $10 million grants for tourism attractions and festivals. [The Telegraph, 08/10/2021]

IN: Community violence reduction programs to get $82M boost. [Fox 59, 08/10/2021]

IN: Hamilton County has paid $3.3 million in rental, utility assistance to 1,300 residents. [IndyStar, 08/11/2021]

KS: Kansas entertainment venues awarded $46M in federal COVID-19 relief grants, including $12M for Lawrence venues. [LJWorld, 08/12/2021]

KY: Louisville looks to spend COVID-19 relief funds on homelessness, affordable housing. [WDRB, 08/09/2021]

KY: Murray State offering eligible students up to $1,500 through federal stimulus funds. [WPSD, 08/09/2021]

MD: Baltimore Receives $6.8 Million Grant For Job Training, Apprenticeships And Services. [CBS 13, 08/11/2021]

NJ: Feds OK N.J.’s plan to use $923M in COVID aid for school programs. [NJ.com, 08/12/2021]

NY: $5,000 grants from American Rescue Plan to become available to eligible Ken-Ton businesses in mid-August. [WIVB, 08/06/2021]

NY: Fulton County board approves $10.4M in federal projects; Money for Parkhurst, sewer, Sacandaga museum. [The LEader Herald, 08/09/2021]

OH: Teens keep Columbus clean through new program: ‘It makes me feel good to make it better’. [The Columbus Dispatch, 08/10/2021]

OK: Langston University wipes away some student debt. [KFOR, 08/06/2021]

PA: Erie County Community College to Offer Free Tuition for Fall Semester. [Erie New sNow, 08/09/2021]

PA: Norristown Approves $5.5M For Playgrounds, Infrastructure. [Patch.com, 08/09/2021]

SC: Rock Hill college offering free tuition for the entire academic year. [WCNC, 08/10/2021]

VA: General Assembly approves COVID relief deal with changes to DMV service, athlete NIL, deputy bonuses. [WAVY, 08/09/2021]

VA: $15.2 MILLION IN FEDERAL EMERGENCY FUNDING AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS IN NEED THIS FALL. [UVA Today, 08/11/2021]

WI: Evers hands Wisconsin hotels $70 million in coronavirus aid. [WKOW, 08/09/2021]

WI: Western to forgive $740,000 in student debt. [La Crosse Tribune, 08/12/2021]

WV: WVU to distribute emergency grants to students for 2021–22. [12WBOY, 08/09/2021]

HELP IS HERE STATE AND LOCAL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS:

Mayor Pro Tem, Artesia CA:

https://www.facebook.com/melissa4artesia/posts/4148470301905435

Council Member, Hawaiian Gardens CA (retweet):

https://twitter.com/MaravillaMyra/status/1426146870401781763

Board Chair, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors CA:

https://www.facebook.com/hildasolis/posts/2891376714451099

Council Member, Cheshire town CT:

https://www.facebook.com/JimJinksCT/posts/2126379917502518

FL House:

https://twitter.com/flhousedems/status/1425174592159633409

IL Senate:

https://www.facebook.com/SenatorSara6/posts/10158937312858884

Alderman, St Louis MO:

https://twitter.com/jeffreyboyd/status/1425962880286040073

MO House:

https://twitter.com/sarahunsicker/status/1425211278264569858

Clark County Board of Commissioners, NV (retweet):

https://twitter.com/CommishMcCurdy/status/1425269922406420480

Nassau County, NY:

https://www.facebook.com/LegislatorDeliaDeRiggiWhitton/posts/4349791215106360

PA House:

https://www.facebook.com/RepLeanne/posts/2983726435229864

https://www.facebook.com/RepDanFrankel/posts/4218196058263727

Council Member, Nashville-Davidson Metro Council TN:

https://twitter.com/freddieoconnell/status/1426163686088052737

Council Member, Auburn WA:

https://twitter.com/stearnsseattle/status/1425166325119295488

VA House:

https://www.facebook.com/delegatedavid/posts/2990560177844025

https://twitter.com/clintonhd76/status/1425847792166187008

Federal Officials:

CA-38:

https://www.facebook.com/RepLindaSanchez/posts/5876142732460717

US Senate, CO:

https://www.facebook.com/senbennetco/posts/10159333247722733

US Senate, CT:

https://www.facebook.com/senchrismurphy/posts/5979096158827971

CT-02:

https://www.facebook.com/joecourtney/posts/10159301801359231

IL-01:

https://www.facebook.com/congressmanbobbyrush/posts/6308551885823334

IL-03:

https://twitter.com/repmarienewman/status/1425959920256618498

MA-03:

https://www.facebook.com/RepLoriTrahan/posts/894946337895970

US Senate, MD:

https://www.facebook.com/chrisvanhollen/posts/10158700851853878

US Senate, NH:

https://www.facebook.com/SenatorShaheen/posts/4656244457741322

NJ-01:

https://www.facebook.com/DonaldNorcrossNJ/posts/10158739766324132

NJ-07:

https://www.facebook.com/RepTomMalinowski/posts/1020819075385086

NJ-08:

https://twitter.com/repsires/status/1425917860073848834

PA-03:

https://www.facebook.com/RepDwightEvans/posts/1470206320028606

PA-05:

https://www.facebook.com/RepMGS/posts/3182356968754347

PA-08:

https://twitter.com/RepCartwright/status/1425975818623328261

US Senate, RI:

https://www.facebook.com/SenatorWhitehouse/posts/4522448554432571

TX-15:

https://www.facebook.com/RepVicenteGonzalez/posts/2935316563353272

TX-29:

https://twitter.com/repsylviagarcia/status/1425891095393837069

US Senate, VA:

https://twitter.com/TimKaine/status/1425938012903510017

VA-07:

https://www.facebook.com/RepSpanberger/posts/997920720958002