Financial Assistance for Florida Residents

Florida’s financial assistance programs offer help to those facing hardships from situations like loss of income, emergency expenses, or outstanding monthly bills. Government and state agencies and various nonprofit organizations provide needed support to Floridians in financial distress.

“The Florida Department of Children and Families helps promote strong and economically self-sufficient communities by determining eligibility for food, cash, and medical assistance for individuals and families in Florida,” explains Brad Reichert, founder and managing director of Reichert Asset Management LLC. “It’s the ‘umbrella organization’ for many of the assistance programs available in the state,” Reichert adds.

Read on to learn more about the type of help available to Sunshine State residents.

Where To Get Cash Assistance in Florida

Florida’s Department of Children and Families offers Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) for families facing financial hardship. The TCA program provides cash stipends based on specific guidelines for the amount and length of assistance.

Who Qualifies for Cash Assistance in Florida?

To receive TCA funds, participants must meet certain requirements, including:

  • Citizenship: U.S. Citizens and qualified non-citizens are eligible for TCA.
  • Workforce Participation: Some individuals must meet specific job requirements to receive funds.
  • Income Levels: Participants must earn an income that’s less than 185% of the Federal Poverty Level with additional qualifications.
  • Florida Residency: Anyone receiving TCA from the state must live in Florida.
  • Countable Assets: Participants' countable assets must equal no more than $2,000, with licensed vehicles valued at $8,500 or less. 
  • Children in the Household: To receive TCA, a child must live in the home with a parent, blood relative, or caretaker who complies with child support procedures.
  • Immunization Records: All children under five must be up-to-date with required immunizations.
  • Education: Children ages six to 18 are required to attend school, and parents must attend any school conferences.

Government Assistance Programs in Florida

Whether or not you qualify for cash assistance, Florida offers other programs, including financial aid and other assistance. Floridians struggling to meet basic needs can access state funds and resources from the following programs:

Housing Assistance

  • Housing Services: Florida Medicaid provides housing services to improve stability and health outcomes for recipients aged 21 and up. Participants must be homeless or at risk of homelessness and have a substance abuse disorder or a serious mental illness.

Assistance for Pregnant and Single Mothers

  • Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Florida helps pregnant women and single mothers provide nutritious food for their families through the WIC program.
  • Healthy Start: Healthy Start Florida provides free home visits to assist with education and care coordination for pregnant women and mothers with children under three years old. The program works to lower risk factors like low birth weight, preterm birth, and poor development.

Assistance for Parents and Children

  • Healthy Families: Healthy Families Florida also offers resources for children and families, including crisis counseling and educational support.
  • Early Learning: Florida’s Early Learning Coalition provides a directory of childcare resources, including information about enrolling children in free voluntary pre-kindergarten (VPK) classes.
  • Swim Lesson Vouchers: Florida recently enacted legislation to offer vouchers for swim lessons (effective July 1, 2024) to prevent drowning among young children. Find more information from WaterSmartFL, the official resource for accessing these funds.

Food Assistance

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Florida’s SNAP benefits families with children, low-income seniors, and people with disabilities, providing monetary support for the purchase of nutritious food. This is a federal program administered by the state.

Medical Assistance

  • Medicaid: Florida’s Medicaid program provides healthcare assistance for low-income individuals and families, the elderly, and those with disabilities.
  • Financial Help for the Hearing Impaired and Disabled: Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology provides resources and financial assistance for devices like hearing aids and cochlear implants to help the hearing impaired. They also provide loans for the purchase of other assistive technology for the disabled.

Cancer Assistance

  • Patient Support: Cancer patients can find help through Florida’s Department of Financial Services, which offers an Insurance Consumer Helpline to help patients navigate payment for cancer care. Floridians can submit a concern online or call toll-free at 1-877-693-5236.

Veterans

  • Veteran Benefits: Florida’s Department of Veteran Affairs offers an array of financial and social benefits for former military members and their spouses. The FDVA benefits guide offers a comprehensive look at programs and services for vets.

Disabled Adults

  • Disability and Health Program (DHP): Florida’s DHP program uses public health interventions to help Floridians with mobility limitations and intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Homeless Assistance

  • Continuum of Care: Florida’s Department of Children and Families oversees public and private entities that work to end homelessness for families and individuals. These Continuum of Care (CoC) services provide support through faith-based organizations, victim service providers, mental health agencies, school-based assistance programs, government agencies, and others, depending on the county where residents experience homelessness.

Hope Florida

  • Hope Florida: The Hope Florida program offers counseling and support to encourage economic self-sufficiency for residents facing financial hardship.

Florida Stimulus Programs

Florida offered stimulus checks to residents to offset financial hardship during the pandemic. Although these funds ended in 2021, you can still request the money if you never received your check. You may also have received it late if you failed to file your taxes on time.

How Do You Get Financial Help in Florida?

Although state and local governments offer financial assistance to Floridians, it may not be enough to get you out of hardships, especially if you’ve resorted to payday loans. Whether you’re struggling with high credit card balances or medical bills, working with a debt relief company can help you alleviate thousands of dollars in unsecured debts.

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