Nearly half of families with kids can no longer afford enough food 5 months after child tax credit ended

Stormy Johnson has been skipping her own meals so her children can eat.

In Kingwood, Johnson works as a student support specialist. She received an additional $500 each month for her two children when the child tax credit payments stopped.

Johnson's budget is stretched thin without the extra money.

Choosing a health plan that fits your budget is one of the ways retirees can cope with inflation.

Johnson said it had been a struggle. I think it has taken a toll on my health because I have to make sure my kids have what they need.

Families struggling

The child tax credit was expanded by the president.

The legislation increased the credit to $3,000 from $2,000 and gave a $600 bonus for kids under the age of 6. Half of the credit was delivered in monthly payments, with a deposit of $300 for children under the age of 6 and $250 for those 6 to 17 years old. The second half of the credit was given to families in a lump sum.

Many families are having a hard time making ends meet five months after payments stopped.

Half of the parents who used to get the checks now say they can't afford enough food to feed their families, according to a survey. The survey shows that families are seeing rising prices of gasoline, child care and rent due to inflation.

More than 90 percent of people said that it is harder to make ends meet right now, and more than 60 percent were struggling to meet basic needs. Most families have stopped saving for the future and have used their emergency savings to stay afloat.

Johnson has skipped meals so his children can eat. Chicken and fresh vegetables are too expensive for her family to eat.

Johnson knows that he needs to take care of himself to be able to take care of his children. I won't let my kids go without food if you give me the option to do it for myself.

The future of the child tax credit

It is not known if the child tax credit will be increased again.

The monthly payments stopped when Democrats failed to pass Biden's economic plan. Since, there has been little movement on reinstating the credit, even as families struggle with high inflation and economic uncertainty.