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State leaders said the extra payment would help 24,000 children before the holidays.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE — Families who get help from the state for transportation, child care, educational support, job training, and temporary cash assistance may have gotten an extra payment on their EBT cards on Thursday.
Family of four, playing. (Photo by Emma Bauso via Pexels)
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The Tennessee Department of Human Services said families in the Families First program would get an extra $500 payment starting on December 1. It was stated that the funds would assist nearly 24,000 children in those homes in preparing for the holidays.
Commissioner Clarence Carter said in a press release that it could be tough keeping up with the demands of caring for children during the holidays, such as working around school breaks, making extra meals, and so much more. As such, this one-time increase in financial help is meant to help Families First participants overcome these temporary problems so they can start the year strong.
The Families First program is a component of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in this state. It focuses on workforce development and employment. It is intended for families to participate in it temporarily, and it assists people in overcoming obstacles as they work to become self-sufficient.
Participants are required to meet certain financial requirements and to agree to follow a “Personal Responsibility Plan.” This includes agreeing to keep children’s immunizations and health checks up to date, keeping children enrolled in school, working with child support services, and working or training for at least 30 hours per week if they are not exempt from these requirements. Participants who are exempt from these requirements must work or train for at least 30 hours per week.
As part of the work requirement, participants are also required to develop a Family Empower Plan with the assistance of a case management provider. This plan is centered on the family and takes a two-generational approach to effectively address the family’s challenges and opportunities.
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