STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — If you welcomed a new member of the family this year, you could be eligible for a little help from New York state.
Signed into law in May by Gov. Kathy Hochul, the Birth Allowance for Beginning Year — or BABY — benefit can help residents who receive public assistance obtain a one-time payment of $1,800.
The funds can help new mothers with the expenses that come with a new bundle of joy, according to reporting by Advance/SILive.com sister site, Syracuse.com.
The benefit, upon being law, has a $8.5 million budget, giving thousands of New York mothers an opportunity for assistance.
New York State’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance helms the benefit, Syracuse.com reported; this is, as listed on Syracuse.com, what you need to know in order to get the BABY benefit:
- To be eligible for the benefit, an individual or family must have an existing public assistance case and be actively receiving public assistance, also known as temporary assistance, when a new baby is born.
- New Yorkers on public assistance will automatically get the new benefit when a newborn is added to an existing assistance case.
- There is no separate application or form to complete.
- The program went into effect Nov. 5.
- Temporary assistance provides aid to adults and children, according to the state. It’s meant to help cover expenses for people who are unable to work, can’t find a job or have a job that doesn’t pay enough.
- Information on eligibility for public assistance is available online.
- You can apply for public assistance online or by visiting a local department of social services.
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