Yes, That Check Is Real; Governor Sends Out $450 To Florida Families

FLORIDA — In a state where mail, internet and phone scams are a daily occurrence, Floridians couldn't help but be skeptical this week when they began receiving checks for $450 in the mail from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Don't throw them away. These checks are real, said DeSantis' office.

The 2022-23 budget signed by DeSantis last month included one-time payments to families with children, including foster families.

"As a father of three young children, I know that getting ready for a new school year can be both exciting and stressful," said DeSantis in a letter with the checks. "To offset the costs of rising inflation, especially with a new school year approaching, the state of Florida is giving you $450 for each child in your care. This one-time payment can be used for anything from buying diapers to fueling at the pump. Please accept this payment as a form of gratitude and acknowledgment for all that you do to help nurture Florida's future. God bless you, and God bless the great state of Florida."

DeSantis included a reminder to families that Florida will host its back-to-school tax-free holiday starting this Saturday, July 25, through Aug. 7 "to help you get the supplies you need to prepare for the upcoming school year. Supplies that will be tax-free during this time include clothing, bags, computers, shoes and other school supplies," he wrote.

The $450 payments were announced during a visit by First Lady Casey DeSantis to Grace Family Church, 5100 W Waters Ave., Tampa, Friday during which the first lady held a roundtable to launch the Hope Florida — A Pathway to Prosperity initiative that she's spearheading.

As part of that initiative, DeSantis included $35.5 million in the budget to support nearly 59,000 Florida families with a one-time payment of $450 per child, including foster families.

The initiative, implemented by the Florida Department of Children and Families, will use Care Navigators, a portal featuring a network of private sector, faith-based, nonprofits and government agencies available to help foster and adoptive families with support and resources.

Additionally, a portion of the nearly $70 million secured by DeSantis in the Freedom First Budget for fatherhood initiatives will go toward mentorship opportunities for Florida’s children, including foster children, through Hope Florida – A Pathway to Prosperity, Casey DeSantis said.

The first lady also announced the launch of her "Hope Florida Fund," which she described as harnessing the private sector to raise funds for local charities. She presented the first checks from the fund to two Tampa nonprofits, Sleep in Heavenly Peace and A Life New Warehouse, for $5,000 each.

“We are doubling down on bringing together public and private groups to collaborate and communicate with and on behalf of Floridians,” said Casey DeSantis. “We are going beyond government by bringing community partners to the table to meet the needs of foster and adoptive families under the umbrella of my Hope Florida – A Pathway to Prosperity initiative. I am on a mission to make sure that no child in Florida goes without hope, happiness and a home. That means doing everything we can to support those who have stepped up and welcomed these children into their homes, as well as local partners that are already lending families a helping hand.”

“Through the First Lady’s Hope Florida – A Pathway to Prosperity initiative and the Care Portal app, we will have the ability to connect some of the state’s most vulnerable Floridians to resources offered by our state’s faith and community organizations in real time,” said Erik Dellenback, the governor’s liaison for Faith and Community. “Our faith and community organizations have always done incredible work on the front lines of their communities, and it is my hope that they will all take advantage of this new opportunity to provide real-time needs through Care Portal.”

“Our department is always looking for ways to build strong and resilient families, and these announcements will be an immense boost to our caregivers who are preparing to send children back to school this fall,” said DCF Secretary Shevaun Harris. “We are so grateful for the First Lady’s work to give Floridians the tools and community connections needed to raise happy, healthy children.”

Casey DeSantis said Hope Florida – A Pathway to Prosperity has now helped more than 30,000 families on their road to economic self-sufficiency by using Care Navigators's community-based partners, including nonprofits and faith-based institutions, to help families remove barriers to economic self-sufficiency by connecting them with educational opportunities, employment and counseling services.

“I am extremely proud of the work that has been done to help Floridians find hope for a better life and realize their potential,” she said. “It is heartening to see needs across the state being met by Floridians for Floridians with the expansion of Hope Florida – A Pathway to Prosperity. In the months ahead, we will be looking at ways to build off this momentum and continue to grow the program to connect individuals across the state with entities that seek to serve others in their community.”

Hope Florida – A Pathway to Prosperity began as a pilot in August 2020 and was expanded in September 2021. The program assists individuals and families with resolving immediate needs or long-term goals, including Floridians receiving public benefits, current and former foster youth, and pregnant mothers contending with substance misuse.

“We are front-loading our service array to prevent families and individuals from finding themselves in a crisis situation further down the road," Harris said. "We see every interaction as an opportunity to help.”

To receive support from Hope Florida – A Pathway to Prosperity, Floridians can call the Hope Line at 850-300-HOPE. Additional information is available at HopeFlorida.com.

Prospective foster parents can call 1-83 Foster FL to connect with current or former foster parents.