Assistance For Families Experiencing Poverty To Increase For The First Time In 30 Years

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Families in the Minnesota Family Investment Program will see their benefits increase for the first time since 1986. On Feb. 1, the maximum cash grant will increase by $100 a month.

The program provides temporary support and employment to families with children experiencing poverty. The increase was proposed by the Walz-Flanagan Administration and approved by the 2019 Minnesota Legislature.

"This is an important first step to help low-income Minnesota families," said DHS Commissioner Jodi Harpstead in a statement. "By giving families the boost they need to get back on their feet, we create better health and fuller lives that benefit our entire state."

The Minnesota Family Investment Program serves more than 29,000 families per month; children make up 72% of those in the program. The vast majority of parents who apply for the program work in low-wage industries or hourly jobs with unpredictable and inconsistent schedules. More than 50% of families are able to leave the program in less than a year.