ACF releases close to $1 billion in Pandemic Emergency Assistance Funds to support families impacted by the pandemic

June 16, 2021

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), released $994.5 million from the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF) to assist needy families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. States, the District of Columbia, tribes operating a Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and all five U.S. territories were eligible to receive funds; all but one of these 131 eligible entities requested funds and received their maximum allotments. 

President Biden signed into law a $1.9 trillion emergency relief bill — the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) — aimed at providing additional relief to the millions of individuals and families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  PEAF funds are part of this relief and provide critical support to help needy families with a specific crisis or need caused by the pandemic’s economic hardships.

“Losing a paycheck is tough for so many families, but especially low-income families,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.  “The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted so many families working to make ends meet, and these funds are critical to provide some much-needed relief.

“Families need immediate help addressing the economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said JooYeun Chang, acting assistant secretary at ACF. “These funds provide direct assistance to families who experienced economic harm as a result of the pandemic.”

“Many low-income American families have experienced substantial economic and personal losses. These funds will enable states, territories, and tribes to strengthen their safety net services by providing urgent relief to those families most in need,” said Susan Golonka, acting director of ACF’s Office of Family Assistance. “We hope this leads the way for states to adopt permanent changes to their TANF programs to be more responsive to the economic needs of families.” 

Grantees can use PEAF funds for a range of non-recurrent, short term benefits to help needy families, including one-time payments to provide extra cash to assist families in dealing with added costs caused by the pandemic or assistance for families who are behind in rent or experiencing other housing insecurity due to the pandemic.

Quick Facts

  • PEAF funds are part of the ARPA and provide critical support to help needy families with a specific crisis or need caused by the pandemic’s economic hardships.
  • $994.5 million from the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF) will assist needy families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quotes

“Losing a paycheck is tough for so many families, but especially low-income families. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted so many families working to make ends meet, and these funds are critical to provide some much-needed relief.”
— HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra
“Families need immediate help addressing the economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds provide direct assistance to families who experienced economic harm as a result of the pandemic.”
— JooYeun Chang, acting assistant secretary at ACF
“Many low-income American families have experienced substantial economic and personal losses. These funds will enable states, territories, and tribes to strengthen their safety net services by providing urgent relief to those families most in need. We hope this leads the way for states to adopt permanent changes to their TANF programs to be more responsive to the economic needs of families.”
— Susan Golonka, acting director of ACF’s Office of Family Assistance

Contact

Administration for Children & Families
Office of Communications
330 C Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

Phone: (202) 401-9215
Fax: (202) 205-9688
Email: media@acf.hhs.gov

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