MAINE
ASSOCIATION OF
INTERDEPENDENT
NEIGHBORHOODS
PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER FOR PEACE, BREAD AND JUSTICE
A Snapshot of Maine's TANF Families How many families receive TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, formerly AFDC) in Maine?
14,039 Maine families received TANF benefits in February, 1999. This included approximately 24,000 children.
Have the number of families receiving TANF benefits dropped?
Yes. In January of 1993, there were 23, 903 families receiving TANF benefits. In February of 1999, 14, 039 families received benefits, representing a decline of 41%.
What is the average number of children per family in Maine TANF families?
The average Maine TANF family has 1.7 children.
How many TANF families are headed by minors (under 18)?
There are only 60 TANF recipient families headed by teens under 18.
What is the average monthly TANF benefit?
The average TANF family receives a check for $362 a month.
How do Maine's TANF benefits compare to the rest of New England?
Maine has the very lowest TANF benefit in New England. For a family of 3 we provide $104 less per month than the next lowest New England state.
New England States Maximum benefit for a family of 3 Connecticut $543 Maine $439 Massachusetts $565 New Hampshire $550 Rhode Island $554 Vermont $656 How did this program fare during the budget cuts of the early 1990's?
There were five cuts in AFDC, now TANF, benefits between 1991 and 1994. These were among the deepest cuts in the nation during that period.
How do TANF benefits compare to the poverty level?
A Maine TANF family of three receiving the maximum benefit of $439 receives income equal to only 39% of the federal poverty level. Even when food stamps are added in, the family income reaches only 68% of the poverty level.
How long do families receive TANF benefits?
According to the federal Department of Health and Human Services, the median length of time on assistance was 2 years for the time the case was opened or reopened.
What is the impact of illness and disability on Maine's TANF families?
In 1994, an economist at the Margaret Chase Smith Center surveyed 3,000 Maine AFDC families and found that 11.1% were not able to work because of an illness or disability. 5.8% reported that their child's disability prevented them from working. That same economist surveyed this same group again in 1998 and found that of those still receiving TANF benefits, 17.5% could not work because of a disability. 17% were also prevented from working because of the need to care for a disabled child. These numbers suggest that healthier families have been able to find work, leaving a larger percent of families coping with chronic illness or disability on the TANF caseload.
How are Maine's TANF families faring?
Because of the extreme poverty in which they live, TANF families often face crises in their daily lives. The follow-up survey described above found the following problems:
This is a publication of the Maine Equal Justice Partners
Type of Problem % of TANF Families Received notice of utility shut-off 66.1% Actually had utilities shut off 30.3% Got behind on the rent 32.1% Had to skip a meal for a day or more 35.7% Ran out of heating fuel 39.2% Had to get financial help from city or town 28.5% Went without transportation for more than a month 50% Had to go to a food pantry 37.5%
P.O. Box 5347, Augusta, ME 04332 (207) 626-7058
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prepared for the Maine Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods
