Tennessee households that receive cash assistance through the federally funded Families First program are receiving $450 one-time payments.
Families had the funds deposited on their EBT cards on Friday, according to the Tennessee Department of Human Services. As families gear up to send kids back to school, more than 13,000 households will benefit.
“Our hope is that families can have an easier time purchasing the things their children need, leaving them feeling confident and ready for the school year,” said Commissioner Clarence Carter.
Households received a similar payment last December, but this will be the last investment the agency is making with the $12 million that the state qualified for from the federal Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee works with approximately 250 kids who are enrolled in the Families First program. For them, the payment will be game-changing, says Chief Impact Officer Bryan Currie.
“Nashville is not becoming a cheaper city, so anything we can do to give our families that margin is super important,” Currie said. “We trust our families to spend their dollars wisely, and we know that they do. So, if we can give our families this kind of assistance in one area, it also frees up assistance in other areas. So, it’s really exciting news.”
The distribution of funds comes a month after Gov. Bill Lee announced $175 million in grants for seven pilot programs within Families First.
Tennessee’s trend toward spending these dollars follows criticism for the $1 billion in unspent funds for needy families that the agency had accumulated. The policy changes increased the average cash assistance households received by $110, provided $50 million in grants to smaller non-profits and invested $180 million to provide support for families in crisis.
Additionally, the state decided to put a cap on how much Families First money can be kept in reserve, and set that amount at $191 million to make sure funds were being put to use.
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