DC issuing $1000 one-time, back-to-school payments to thousands of District families

WASHINGTON - Thousands of D.C. families will get one-time payments of around $1,000 from the city to help with back-to-school expenses.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser made the announcement Thursday. She said District families who are enrolled in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program will receive the funds. Her office says about 15,000 D.C. families are enrolled in the program.

"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," said Bowser in a statement released online. "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."

According to her office, the money will come from the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF) - a federal fund established by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for families impacted by COVID-19.

The one-time benefit will be issued onto each household's electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card this month.

"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 (ACF)," said Laura Green Zeilinger, Director of D.C's Department of Human Services.

The $1,000 payments come in addition to the $41 million in food assistance for District children and teen that Bowser's office announced over the summer.

More on the city's TANF program can be found online.