FindYourFunds.org Helping Vulnerable Massachusetts Residents
The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute assisted The Shah Family Foundation in launching a centralized website last month called FindYourFunds.org. The site helps Massachusetts residents access federal cash payments through expanded federal tax credit programs. These programs include the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit (CTC), and Economic Impact Payments (also known as stimulus checks). Children’s HealthWatch, Greater Boston Legal Services, and Massachusetts Association for Community Action (MASSCAP) also collaborated on the website.
“The pandemic caused an economic crisis that has laid bare the stark, systemic inequities and challenges facing low-income families across the Commonwealth, especially Black and Latinx communities,” said our executive director, Georgia Katsoulomitis, at the time of the launch. “Our lowest income households are the most likely to be left out of this critical federal relief. FindYourFunds.org connects families to the multilingual information they need and is a resource state agencies can share broadly with families across the Commonwealth. FindYourFunds.org will increase access and decrease barriers.”
The site is helping people from across the Commonwealth access the support they need during these still-challenging times. As the Boston Globe reported, the IRS has estimated that about 58,000 children will miss out on the Child Tax Credit unless they are connected to the tax system. Since June 1, about 140,000 unique visitors have visited FindYourFunds.org. There is a clear need for assistance among vulnerable individuals and families and this site is helping to address that need.
FindYourFunds.org is a simple, one-stop-shop with information on who is eligible for these programs and how to apply, as well as links to free resources that provide guidance and application assistance. If you believe you qualify for additional support – or know someone who does – please make sure to visit the site.