FOOD for Lane County - Temporary Assistance to Needy Families

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides cash assistance to low-income families with children while they work to become self-sufficient. The goal of the program is to reduce the number of families living in poverty through employment and community resources.

To qualify for TANF, families must have very few assets and little or no income. The current maximum monthly benefit for a family of three is $503. Benefits are distributed through the state's Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system, which allows clients to obtain benefits through grocery store card-scanning devices and ATM machines using an Oregon Trail Card.

Many families in the TANF program must participate in the JOBS employment and training program, which helps them prepare for and find work. They may also receive help with problems around housing, child care, alcohol or drug abuse, domestic violence and other factors that affect family stability.

In addition, the Oregon Department of Human Services helps clients obtain child support from absent parents. The TANF program is administered by the Children, Adults and Families (CAF) group of the Department of Human Services. Services to clients are provided through local DHS offices across the state.

For more information about TANF, go to TANF online or contact FOOD for Lane County at (541) 343-2822.