Financial assistance in Puerto Rico is available for residents of the territory who are in need of help. This article provides an overview of financial assistance in Puerto Rico in the form of cash and food assistance.
Si bien este artículo está escrito en inglés, los enlaces a más información en español están disponibles debajo de cada encabezado.
While this article is written in English, links to more information in Spanish are available below under each heading.
Financial Assistance in Puerto Rico: TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) – El Programa de Ayunda Temporal para Familias Necesitadas
Hay seis categorías de participación de El Programa de Ayunda Temporal para Familias Necesitadas. Estos incluyen ser anciano, discapacitado, menor de edad o padre soltero. Puede ser elegible para recibir asistencia si cumple con estos requisitos. Puede obtener más información sobre cómo aplicar visitando el sitio web oficial del gobierno de Puerto Rico. Para leer más información en español, y solicitar, visita está página.
TANF assistance (El Programa de Ayuda Temporal para Familias Necesitadas) is available in Puerto Rico to families who need financial assistance to meet their needs.
There are six categories of participation for TANF in Puerto Rico, so if your family falls into any of the following six categories, you may be eligible for TANF assistance. We have also included information about what you need in order to apply for TANF.
Category A – Individuals aged 65 or older: If you are 65 years or older, you might be eligible for TANF. In order to apply, you must present a document that proves your age, such as a driver’s license or passport. You must also present a document to verify your address, such as a utility bill.
Category B – Blind individuals: If your vision is 20/200 or less, you might be eligible for TANF. In order to apply, you must present a document that verifies your identity, like a driver’s license or a passport, a document that verifies your address (like a utility bill), and a medical certificate from a specialist verifying that your vision is 20/200 or less.
Category C – Single parent household / parent with disability: There are two circumstances where families with children under the age of 18 can be eligible for TANF cash assistance. If one parent has abandoned the family, or there are two parents present in the home but one has a disability. Information on the documents you need in order to apply is available here.
Category D – Adults with disabilities: You might be eligible for TANF if you are over the age of 18 and have a permanent and total disability. Information on the documents you need in order to apply is available here.
Category G – Adults and minors with disabilities: Another category of TANF in Puerto Rico is for adults over the age of 18 who have temporary and total disabilities, and for minors under the age of 18 who have permanent and total disabilities. Information on the documents you need in order to apply is available here.
Category T – Children: Minor children under the age of 18 residing with a legal guardian are often eligible for TANF. Information on the documents you need in order to apply is available here.
For more information about TANF, and to apply for the program, visit the official government website of Puerto Rico.
Financial Assistance in Puerto Rico: Nutrition Assistance – Programa de Asistencia Nutricional
Puerto Rico tiene un programa de suplementos alimenticios llamado Programa de Asistencia Nutricional. Para ser elegible, debe cumplir con los requisitos de ingresos para el tamaño de su familia. Puede ver si es elegible visitando el sitio web oficial del gobierno de Puerto Rico. Para leer sobre el programa en español, y solicítalo, visita la página de la Administración Desarrollo Socioeconómico.
If you have lived in the mainland United States, you might be familiar with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). While SNAP is not available in Puerto Rico, the island offers a similar program called the Nutritional Assistance Program. The program is better known as PAN, which is the acronym for the program’s name in Spanish, which is Programa de Asistencia Nutricional.
PAN eligibility is determined by a household’s income relative to its size. For example, a household made up of three people can have an income of up to $5,528 per year and still be eligible for PAN. Further, the household must have savings of less than $2,000. If a member of the household is 60 years or older, or has a disability, the maximum savings limit rises to $3,000. You can check to see if you might qualify on Benefits.gov. You can also predetermine your eligibility on the official government website of Puerto Rico.
To read more about the program and to apply, visit the ADSEF website.
These are just a few of the programs offering financial assistance in Puerto Rico, and they are a great place to start if you are in need of financial help.
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Catherine Hall
Catherine Hall, LMSW is a therapist at a small group practice in New York City. She earned her master of social work degree at New York University.