UpTogether

UpTogether CEO Jesús Gerena weighs in on the importance of an expanded Child Tax Credit. "I have been heartened to see Child Tax Credit proposals take center stage in the presidential campaign," he said. "This is about our values as a country, and we should move quickly to meaningfully impact the lives of children. There is great urgency to pass an expanded Child Tax Credit, providing immediate economic relief for millions of American families. It’s my hope that the next president pledges to take action on moving an expanded child tax credit proposal through Congress within the first 100 days of their new administration." Visit The Blog to read the full statement: https://hubs.la/Q02PvXk00

"I’ve seen what cash can do for people experiencing financial hardship—and I also know what it can’t do. Yes, the data showed participants worked slightly fewer hours, spent more time on leisure, and earned less money. However, the conclusions reporters and researchers have drawn from these findings are rooted in painful stereotypes about people experiencing poverty, such as depicting them as lazy and blaming them for their own financial circumstances," UpTogether CEO Jesús Gerena. Click here to read the full op-ed in Fortune: https://hubs.la/Q02PfTkg0

It’s nearly impossible not to not feel the squeeze the current economy has on our finances, and Tiffany's experience is no different. She’s dedicated to ensuring her children have the best opportunities. The memory of her late husband inspires her to create a life that he would be proud of for their family. The Oakland, California educator works multiple jobs to maintain a sense of normalcy for her five children. But sometimes, she finds the financial gymnastics of sacrificing basic needs in order to pay for other basic needs, exhausting. Tiffany decided to use some of her UpTogether direct cash investment to relieve the constant worry of falling behind on bills. Watch Tiffany's story to see why the UpTogether Approach of investing directly into a person’s strength and trusting them to be the expert in their own life, works: https://hubs.la/Q02PfXcS0

Check out UpTogether CEO Jesús Gerena's op-ed countering negative takes on a widely-covered guaranteed income study: https://hubs.la/Q02NRN8M0

UpTogether CEO Jesús Gerena counters negative takes on a widely-covered guaranteed income study. Direct cash is a powerful tool to address poverty, but it is not a silver bullet. "If you believe people who have limited financial resources should pull themselves up by the bootstraps by working multiple, exploitative jobs, denying themselves leisure time, and spending less time with their families, the results would indeed be disappointing. However, if you believe people experiencing financial hardship deserve dignity and autonomy, the results prove that guaranteed income is a powerful tool," Gerena said.

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“I just had a sigh of relief knowing that that was something that I could count on and be mindful of my spending it. But it let me have that freedom to spend it where I need to, as opposed to I can only spend it on this,” she said. She feels connected to the UpTogether Approach of investing directly in an individual’s strengths and trusting them to be the expert in their own life. Visit our YouTube channel to watch Susana's story: https://hubs.ly/Q02Nglv50

"School was my solace and joy," Susana recalls. Now, she brings that same joy to her students, many of whom share similar backgrounds. Susana used her direct cash investments to stabilize her home life, allowing her to focus on her passion: continuing her education and uplifting her community. Watch Susana's story to learn what happens when we invest directly into a person's strengths and trust them to be the architect of their own life: https://hubs.la/Q02N5Hk-0

We're pleased to see both presidential candidates discuss expanding the Child Tax Credit. We know this works to lift children out of poverty and will be watching the discussion closely.