In late 2018, the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, together with Greater Boston Legal Services and many other legal services programs and community organizations, began a campaign to increase state cash assistance grants, which had been frozen for two decades. With the leadership of Sen. Sal DiDomenico (D-Everett) and Rep. Marjorie Decker (D-Cambridge), the Lift Our Kids Coalition secured a 10% increase – the first in a generation – in the FY21 budget, and then a further 9.1% increase in the FY22 budget.

The Conference Report on the FY23 budget, released on July 17, 2022, includes another 10% grant increase for both Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) and Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC), starting October 2022. The TAFDC grant for a family of three will go up from a maximum of $712 a month to a maximum of $783 a month. In addition, the Conference Report increases the annual clothing allowance, which will be $400 for each child receiving TAFDC this September. The clothing allowance increase means that a family with two children will get $100 more in assistance in September than they got last year.

We are grateful to Speaker Mariano, Senate President Spilka, House Ways and Means Chair Michlewitz, and Senate Ways and Means Chair Rodrigues for these increases. We are also thankful to Sen. DiDomenico for his advocacy in the Senate and to Rep. Decker for her advocacy in the House, and to the many other legislators in the House and Senate who co-sponsored and advocated for bills and amendments to raise grants.

A 10% increase starting in October doesn’t come close to meeting people’s needs. Grants are still far too low. But thanks to our legislative leaders and the advocacy of the Lift Our Kids Coalition, the Conference budget for TAFDC and EAEDC provides about $45 million more cash assistance for our lowest-income families, elders and persons with disabilities.

There is more work to be done. Families are struggling more than ever. The costs for basic necessities like food, rent and utilities are rising even faster than the skyrocketing inflation rate. There is also more revenue to address the need – including the unprecedented budget surplus and billions in unspent COVID relief money. We look forward to working with the Legislature in the next session to do more to lift our lowest income families out of Deep Poverty.