Temporary Assistance for Needy Families   The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program was signed into law on August 22, 1996. This federal legislation provides block grants to states to fund programs that provide services and benefits to needy families. TANF was designed to give states flexibility to operate programs that serve one of the following purposes: Provides assistance to needy families so that children may be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives Ends the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work and marriage Prevents and reduces the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and establishes annual numerical goals for preventing and reducing the incidence of these pregnancies Encourages the formation and maintenance of two parent families In Connecticut, TANF funds the Temporary Family Assistance program, Safety Net, Employment Services and many other programs and services for needy families. For a description of all of the programs and services funded by TANF, please go to our  TANF State Plan    . Jobs First Temporary Family Assistance (TFA) provides cash assistance to families. For families with an employable adult, there is a 21-month lifetime limit for the receipt of TFA. Families in which there is no employable adult have no limit to the duration of the benefits. Eligibility is based on income being lower than a set standard and assets being below limits. Earned income of recipients of TFA that are working are not counted until they are equal to the federal poverty level. They are thus allowed to keep all earnings up to the federal poverty level as well as the cash assistance benefit. Families are allowed to have up to $3,000 in a bank account, and life insurance policies and pension plans are excluded. The equity value of an automobile in excess of $9,500 counts towards the asset limit. The amount of assistance varies depending on which of three regions of the state they live in. The assistance for a family of three in the most populous region is $500 per month if in subsidized housing, $543 if not. Adults in the family are subject to digital imaging of their fingerprints to prevent receipt of duplicate assistance. Families subject to the time limit may qualify for six-month extensions to the limit if they have good cause for being unemployed or underemployed (earning less than the TFA benefit) at the end of the 21-month period, or any extension. Families with children under 18 and pregnant women; Must be U.S. citizen or have permanent resident status; Must be engaged in an employment services activity unless exempted; *Exemptions to the employment work activity requirement are granted based on:Dependent child under age 19, or Minor parent under age 19 if in school, or Over age 60, or Caring for child under age 1, or Have a disability or illness, or Caring for person in household with disability or illness, or Domestic violence prevents or limits hours of employment*Income limit differs by region because of the cost of housing difference, but is always a figure less than 100% FPL; Asset limit is $3000; also, $9500 of car value is not counted towards assets. Hours: M-F: 8am-4:30pm Follow this link for more information on TFA. How to Access Cash and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits. Temporary Family Assistance (TFA) Fact Sheet