Lawmakers in Massachusetts passed some of the nation s most generous tax credits - and now, help is available to make sure families can take advantage of them. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program helps more than 30,000 low-income families at 80 different sites across the Commonwealth. Ancel Tejada, financial empowerment program manager with MASSCAP - a coalition of community action agencies - said the credits helped his parents buy his first computer. .
Winter time in South Dakota can sometimes result in car engines not starting. For people with no money for repairs, there are options in some cities, including a nonprofit blending low-cost repairs with engine maintenance smarts. In Sioux Falls and Rapid City, the SHIFT Garage accepts applications from low-income people in need of a standard repair. .
January is National Poverty in America Awareness Month and community action agencies across the state are working to change lives for the 5 million Californians who cannot afford the basics. The poverty rate in the Golden State rose from 11.7% in fall 2021 to 13.2% in the first quarter of 2023. David Knight, executive director of the California Community Action Program Association, said circumstances have been difficult. .