Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller today
announced an Emergency Assistance Program (EAP) to help low-income
families who lost wages experiencing financial challenges due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Families who qualify will be eligible for a one-time
payment to assist them in meeting basic needs and help them secure more
stable financial footing in the future.
The program will use existing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF) funds to provide support to low-income families who qualify. The
program will be open to families with a child under the age of 18 or a
woman who is currently pregnant.
In order to qualify, families must have at least one person in the
household who was employed as of March 11, 2020 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. Families must meet
income limits of 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and have
no more than $1,000 in a savings or checking account.
Qualifying families will be issued a one-time grant equal to two months
of TANF benefits. The average monthly TANF grant for a family of three
is $403, so a qualifying family of three would receive a one-time grant
of $806 through the program. Information on monthly grants by household
size and county is available online at
http://services.dpw.state.pa.us/oimpolicymanuals/cash/168_Determining_Eligibility_and_Payment_Amount/168_Appendix_B.htm.
Funds will be issued through an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card.
The emergency assistance application is available online at
www.compass.state.pa.us. Families should be prepared to submit all
necessary documentation with their application to expedite processing
and avoid having to apply again. Applications will be accepted beginning
Monday, May 11 through June 12 or until all funds are expended.
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