<\/p>\n
Some low-income Connecticut families with school-age children will receive payments starting Sunday of $258 for each child.<\/p>\n
Gov. Ned Lamont’s office announced Friday that the “special, one-time, back-to-school COVID-19 relief benefit” will be paid to families over the weekend. The program is called the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund.<\/p>\n
The money comes from a $7 million grant the state Department of Social Services received through the American Rescue Plan, President Joe Biden’s signature COVID-19 relief act.<\/p>\n
Families are only eligible if they have children and received government assistance through one of two programs in May 2022: the Temporary Family Assistance Program or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.<\/p>\n
The money will be automatically added to recipients’ EBT cards or bank accounts on Sunday, the governor’s office said.<\/p>\n
“Connecticut is the most family-friendly state in the country, and this unique special benefit puts money back into the pockets of families who have been struggling to make ends meet,” Lamont said in a statement from his office<\/p>\n
Here’s what you need to know about payments:<\/p>\n
Only families who received TFA or SNAP benefits in May 2022 and had no “countable income” that month are eligible for the program, the governor’s office said.<\/p>\n
The program is expected to benefit more than 15,000 households in the state, or about 27,000 children.<\/p>\n
Most families will see the money applied directly to their EBT card balance starting Sunday.<\/p>\n
Families receiving SNAP or TFA assistance through direct deposit will have the money transferred to their bank accounts, the governor’s office said.<\/p>\n
Eligible families will receive $257.87 per child.<\/p>\n
Families can only receive money from the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund if they received benefits through SNAP or TFA in May.<\/p>\n
The PEAF money that families receive is separate from previous payments related to the pandemic. Back-to-school benefits will be in addition to direct payments families have received from previous COVID-19 relief, or the state tax credit of up to $250 per child.<\/p>\n
But those earlier payments were applied more broadly: The third round of economic impact payments, which most people received as $1,400 payments from the IRS, were restricted by income. The $250 tax credits were restricted by income and up to three children.<\/p>\n
The state Department of Social Services sent letters to recipients this week notifying them of the payments.<\/p>\n
Lamont’s office said PEAF program payments match back-to-school purchases.<\/p>\n
The influx of money for families also coincides with the state’s sales tax-free week, which runs Sunday through Aug. 27.<\/p>\n
“During this week-long sales tax holiday, retail purchases of most clothing and footwear items priced under $100 are exempt from Connecticut sales and use tax,” say Lamont’s office.<\/p>\n