Some families in Florida will be getting a one-time payment of $450 per child in an effort to assist families affected by rising inflation.
Families don't need to apply and must fall into one of the following eligible categories:
- Foster Parents
- Relative Caregivers
- Non-relative Caregivers
- Families receiving TANF cash assistance
- Guardianship Assistance Program participants
The check is expected to arrive to eligible families within the next week.
Casey DeSantis announced the checks on July 15 during a roundtable in Tampa, and Governor Ron DeSantis' press secretary tweeted a letter about the payments on July 19.
The letter read as follows and was signed by Governor DeSantis:
"Dear Floridians,
As the father of three young children, I know that getting ready for a new school year can be both exciting and stressful. To offset the costs of rising inflation, especially with s new school year approaching, the State of Florida is giving you $450 for each child in your care.
This one-time payment can be used for anything from buying diapers to fueling up at the pump. I also want to make sure you are aware of our state's "Back-to-School" sales-tax holiday, which will take place from July 25 through August 7, to help you get the supplies you need to prepare for the upcoming school year. Supplies that will be tax-free during this time include clothing, bags, computers, shoes and other school supplies.
Please accept this payment as a form of gratitude and acknowledgment for all that you do to help nurture Florida's future. God bless you, and God bless the great state of Florida."
According to the Department of Children and Families, the money comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, which created a $1 billion fund to assist needy families affected by the pandemic within the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, program.
Eligibility for the check is based on the federal TANF requirements and Florida's TANF plan, DCF said.
