Our country is facing the COVID-19 pandemic and one of the worst financial downturns in a century, and our community is struggling.

King County has had 481,000 new unemployment claims in March-August, a 49% increase in 211 calls for rental assistance and more than 17,000 families added to the food stamp (SNAP) rolls. Due to historical and structural racism, communities of color continue to be disproportionately affected by both the health and economic effects of the pandemic.

While local and state budgets have to be balanced, only the federal government can issue debt and bail American communities out of this economic disaster. We saw quick congressional action in March to pass the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, but that was six months ago, and the collapse persists.

It’s time to put pressure on our lawmakers to ensure people whose lives have been upended by the pandemic and recession get the help they need until our economy stabilizes.

While philanthropy is a critical source of COVID relief, it cannot bridge a gap of this size. It’s time to put pressure on our lawmakers to ensure people whose lives have been upended by the pandemic and recession get the help they need until our economy stabilizes.

United Way of King County is calling upon congressional leaders to pass a fifth stimulus bill that addresses the many urgent needs facing families and individuals in our community.

We urge everyone in our region to act today to demand that Congress pass another coronavirus relief bill to help the battered economy.

Many economists fear the United States is on the verge of a long-term downturn unless resources are injected into our economy to stimulate growth. Absent federal stimulus, our state faces a multibillion-dollar deficit, and the only discretionary areas to cut are human services and health care—this can and must be avoided.

Your voice is needed to shore up support for those who need it most and promote economic reopening in King County, Washington state and throughout the country. Join us in urging Congress to prioritize economic stimulus and COVID relief.

A successful stimulus bill will focus on people who need it most by increasing SNAP food benefits by 15%, expanding the Earned Income Tax and Child Tax Credits to put cash in families’ pockets this winter and increasing the federal share of Medicaid costs to free up state dollars.

Congress must work on a path forward to address the needs of property owners and renters who have large backlogs of owed rent.

Your voice is needed to push Congress to take bold steps to prevent a major increase in family homelessness. Congress must work on a path forward to address the needs of property owners and renters who have large backlogs of owed rent to avoid a homelessness crisis when eviction moratoriums expire.

Your voice is needed to push Congress to invest $50 billion in shoring up our nation’s early childhood infrastructure, which has been decimated by the unemployment crisis. We cannot return parents, especially moms, to work without a childcare system in place. Employers, families and our local economy all benefit when people can get back to work.

We urge Congress to prioritize these important increases so state budgets will get desperately needed support, and families will get access to the care, food and security they need now more than ever. Act now!