TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — To all the Florida families who randomly received a letter in the mail from Gov. Ron DeSantis with a check inside — don't throw it away thinking it's a scam.
The letters are real and are a one-time payment of $450 per child as part of the governor's new budget, spokeswoman Christina Pushaw explains in a tweet.
The one-time payments are going out to 59,000 eligible Florida families. Foster families, adoptive families, and single parents are eligible for the payments, Casey DeSantis said during a visit last week in Tampa.
Families do not need to apply for this one-time payment and checks have been mailed directly to the recipients and should arrive within the next seven days, according to the state.
The governor says the one-time payment can be used for anything from buying diapers to getting gas.
The letter sent also reminds families of Florida's "Back-to-School" sales-tax holiday happening from July 25 until Aug. 7. Supplies such as clothing, bags, computers, shoes and other school supplies will be tax-free during that time.
"Please accept this payment as a form of gratitude and acknowledgment for all that you do to help nurture Florida's future," the governor wrote in the letter.
The payments, which are part of the Hope Florida Initiative, are made possible by federal American Plan Rescue dollars. Eligibility is based on federal and state Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Plan requirements.
“The American Rescue Plan Act created a $1 billion fund to assist needy families affected by the pandemic within the TANF program,” Florida Department of Children and Families spokesperson Laura Walthall told 10 Tampa Bay in an email. “The one-time payments ensured that $35.5 million would be received by Florida families. Had these awards not been made, the funding would have otherwise reverted back to the federal government.”
The Florida Department of Children and Families says you must fall into one of the eligible categories at the time enrolled populations were captured for this payment on July 1, 2022.
Eligible recipients include:
- Foster Parents
- Relative Caregivers
- Non-relative Caregivers
- Families receiving TANF cash assistance
- Guardianship Assistance Program participants
Eligible families will receive payment by July 25.
Along with this relief, the Sunshine State also had five different tax holidays that started on July 1. One already ended but four of them are still going on.
Children’s Diapers Sales Tax Exemption | July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023
Single-use diapers, reusable diapers and reusable diaper inserts for children will be tax-exempt for an entire year beginning Friday through June 30, 2023. For more information, visit floridarevenue.com/DiapersandClothing.
Baby and Toddler Clothing Sales Tax Exemption | July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023
Additional savings are available for Florida’s families with young children through the Baby and Toddler Clothing Sales Tax Exemption. Clothing, apparel and shoes primarily intended for children ages 5 and younger will also be exempt from tax from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023. More information can be found at floridarevenue.com/DiapersandClothing.
ENERGY STAR® Appliances Sales Tax Exemption | July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023
Certain appliances bearing the ENERGY STAR® logo will be tax-free for a year beginning July 1, 2022. For a complete list of qualifying appliances, visit floridarevenue.com/ENERGYSTAR.
Home Hardening Sales Tax Exemption, July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2024
Impact-resistant doors, windows and garage doors will be tax-exempt for two years under the Home Hardening Sales Tax Exemption. More information about the exemption is available at floridarevenue.com/HomeHardening and PrepareFL.com.