Families within certain income requirements will be receiving a one-time payment to help during the pandemic and unprecedented time of economic hardship.
This week, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services said they will be using already in place Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) federal funds granted to the Keystone State to run the one-time Emergency Assistance Program (EAP) payment that will go to low-income families with children under the age of 18 or a woman who is pregnant.
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The program will require families to have had at least one person in the household who was employed as of March 11 and experienced an hour or wage reduction of at least 50 percent for two weeks or more or lost employment entirely due to the public health crisis, according to the state.
Families would need to meet an income limit of 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and have no more than $1,000 in a savings or checking account, according to the state.
Under the EAP, the average family who qualifies would receive a one-time payment of $806 through an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card.
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Below are the income guidelines outlined by the state Department of Human Services:
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The emergency assistance application is available online. State officials said families applying should be prepared to submit needed documentation with their application to expedite processing and avoid having to apply again.
Applications will open on Monday and continue through June 12 or until all the funds are used.
“The economic disruption caused by this pandemic is affecting families and communities across Pennsylvania in different ways. For many low-income Pennsylvanians, especially those awaiting unemployment compensation, this disruption could be completely destabilizing,” Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller said in a statement. “The Wolf Administration is committed to helping families weather this uncertain period, and the EAP will be another resource to help families avoid reaching even more difficult situations as we recover from this crisis together.”
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Miller said the funds are designed to help families meet basic needs and secure a more stable financial footing in the future.
The state Department of Human Services offers applications for other program like Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) online.
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