Advocacy group says policy of hoarding is a moral failure
A group of Tennessee pastors affiliated with the Southern Christian Coalition called on Gov. Bill Lee to use the state’s $700 million in surplus TANF funds to help families in need.
TANF, which stands for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, is designed to help families struggling to make ends meet by providing short-term assistance to meet basic needs.
The state’s TANF program, known as Families First, describes the program this way:
The program provides participating families with temporary cash assistance, transportation, child care assistance, educational supports, job training, employment activities, and other support services that empower them to build a foundation for economic stability.
The Southern Christian Coalition notes that although some funds are being expended, the program holds a surplus in excess of $700 million and that those funds should be spent in order to ease the burden for economically challenged families.