Thousands of New York households suffering from economic and food insecurity and survivors of domestic violence will benefit from a fund of more than $55 million , which seeks to alleviate its difficulties during the current Covid pandemic-19.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced this Tuesday the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund, which will provide one-time payments to help with the cost of diapers for struggling families, cover food expenses for households with both children and seniors, and provide crucial housing and relocation of survivors of domestic violence.
The fund will be administered through the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and the state Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence.
Starting this month, OTDA will issue one-time payments to all enrolled families. ritas on Public Assistance or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) who have a child under the age of three. Families will receive $140 per eligible child to help with the cost of diapers, and the funding is expected to serve approximately 150,000 children in 128,500 households statewide.
To cover food costs, the agency will also issue one-time payments in April of $730 to households that are enrolled in Public Assistance or SNAP, and have an adult 55 years of age or older and a child 17 years or less. Households will receive one-time payments for each eligible older adult in the household. Approximately 26,300 households are expected to receive this assistance.
“The pandemic has laid bare the inequities that exist in our society, leaving New Yorkers vulnerable who were already struggling with many more,” Governor Hochul said. “This critical funding will help tens of thousands of families pay for food and diapers, while also providing a lifeline to domestic violence survivors in need of relocation and housing support.”