Participants of Tennessee’s Families First Program will receive ‘extra support’ this holiday season, according to the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS). On Monday, TDHS announced that all households enrolled in the state’s assistance program as of December 1st will receive a one-time additional payment of $500 on their existing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards beginning on that same day.
The TDHS statement pointed to the “nearly 24,000 children” that will benefit from the one-time payment to TANF households.
“We serve some of the most economically vulnerable families and children through the Families First program and recognize the challenges they’re facing,” TDHS Commissioner Clarence H. Carter said. “Keeping up with the demands of the holiday season can introduce additional hurdles in caring for children, such as accommodating school breaks, providing extra meals, and so much more. This one-time boost in financial assistance is intended to help Families First participants overcome these temporary hurdles, positioning them to start the year off strong.”
With the newly-announced payment and holiday season approaching, TDHS and the Office of Inspector General are warning recipients of an increase in EBT fraud. To prevent falling victim to fraud, recipients are “encouraged to be aware of EBT card skimming and phishing schemes,” the statement noted.
The Families First Program is also known as Tennessee’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
Families First was created as part of the larger Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 (commonly referred to as “welfare reform”), according to TDHS.
The TANF program “provides temporary cash assistance, transportation, child care assistance, educational support, job training, and other support services,” TDHS adds.
Learn more about the Tennessee’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program here.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Family Christmas” by William Fortunato.
