In March, Halimah Washington, community coordinator at Rise, spoke at a press conference organized by Senator Schumer to highlight the value of the economic stimulus package to New Yorkers. 

See coverage of the press conference: 

>> WWNY Schumer: many Americans will see stimulus checks in 2 weeks or so (wwnytv.com)
>> Schumer: American Rescue Plan To Send $9 Billion In Stimulus Checks To Low-Income, Middle Class NYC Residents – CBS New York (cbslocal.com)
>> More Than 1 Million Queens Households to Receive Stimulus Checks Within Two Weeks: Schumer | LIC Post

Halimah Washington also discussed the significance of the stimulus for parents with the Rise organizing team — and reflected on the need for further, ongoing investment in families and communities. 

Our organizing team at Rise discussed the stimulus and why it is important to invest in families financially. This  will help families to get caught up on rent and bills in ways they couldn’t without the stimulus. It will open up child care options. It will help us to do activities with our children and, with the weather getting warmer, we can buy bikes and toys for them to play with outside.

Even if you are working, many people don’t get to a place where you are working and out of poverty — you may be working poor. You don’t qualify for benefits and are working check to check and living hand to mouth. The stimulus package was needed — it is a game changer for those groups of people and folks on unemployment. 

We also need more ongoing investment in families and communities, particularly communities with high rates of poverty.