The state of New York is set to release batches of one-time payments, estimated at $870 per household, to at least 155,000 families.
In a statement made Tuesday, February 8, Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed that the payments would come from the $64 million Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund to help families and kids in multi-generational households and survivors of domestic violence. The payments will help parents cover expenses for diapers, food, rent, and relocation assistance.
"The pandemic has laid bare the inequities that exist across our society, leaving vulnerable New Yorkers who were already struggling even further behind," Hochul said, adding that her administration is taking action to ease the poor's burden brought on by the pandemic, especially among the younger children.
When and Who Can Get the Stimulus Payment?
Thus, starting February 2022, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) will be issuing the stimulus payment to families qualified under the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund's Public Assistance Program. New York families enrolled in the food stamps initiative, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), will also receive incentives.
Those confirmed in either program, Public Assistance or SNAP, may expect to get $140 for each child under three years old to cover expenses for diapers. According to The Sun, the total cost for this stimulus payment will benefit at least 128,500 households.
Then, in April, the state government will be rolling out $730 as one-time SNAP benefits to help families pay for their grocery expenses. This payment will benefit families with kids below 17 and adults above 55 years old. An estimated 26,300 households are expected to receive this food assistance.
Both diapers and food payments will be dispersed through the Electronic Benefit Transfer of the participant's enrolled account for either Public Assistance or SNAP. If the participants qualify for both payments, they may expect to get $870 or more by spring.
What About Domestic Violence Survivors?
Domestic violence survivors may also qualify for financial aid under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families for relocation expenses, rent payments, or home repairs. The state, however, has not yet detailed how much money will be dispersed from the $21.4 million funding set aside for the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV).
The agency's fact sheet stated that calls coursed through the New York State Hotline involving domestic violence cases had a 45 percent uptick during the pandemic. Before COVID-19, New York issued over 237,000 protection orders for victims.
Kelli Owen, the OPDV Executive Director, said that this funding would enable providers to closely work with the survivors who are mostly from families of color or Indigenous backgrounds. Owen also thanked the governor for her leadership and steadfast commitment to supporting the needs of the survivors.
Meanwhile, New York Senator Roxanne Persaud also thank Hochul for approving the pandemic assistance to help food-insecure households with newborns, toddlers, and the elderly. She noted that the pandemic has affected "every community and walk of life."
