Washington families receive $1,000 stimulus payment

According to Mayor Muriel Bowser, some low-income families in Washington, D.C., will receive a $1,000 payment as they prepare to return to school.

Through the Congress-passed American Rescue Plan in 2021, TANF families are scheduled to receive one-time payments over the next several weeks. This program has enrolled 15,000 families, according to the mayor's office.

“We know that back-to-school time can be an expensive time of year for families—new uniforms, haircuts, supplies. There are a lot of expenses all at once,” Bowser said. “So we are disbursing these funds now to give families an extra cash bump during a busy time of year so that our students and families can have a strong start to an important school year.”

The money will be provided specifically by the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund, a federal program created by the American Rescue Plan.

Additional payments of $1,000 will be given to DC children in addition to Bowser's announcement of $41 million in food assistance.

“We know that the pace of economic recovery is not the same for all households,” said Laura Green Zeilinger, director of the Washington Department of Human Services, in a statement.

“We are thrilled to be able to provide one-time payments to families receiving TANF as they prepare for back to school. We are thankful for the critical support of our federal partners at the Administration of Children and Families.”

19 August 2022