The Ron DeSantis Stimulus Checks? Florida residents have begun receiving letters and stimulus checks for $450 from Governor Ron DeSantis, along with a message about the importance of helping families prepare for the new school year. The surprise stimulus checks are currently on their way to roughly 60,000 families across the state, including foster parents, relative caregivers, non-relative caregivers, Guardianships Assistance Program participants, and families who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) support.
Applicants do not need to apply for the stimulus checks and will be mailed a check if they qualify.
In the letters sent to Florida residents, dated July 15, 2022, Governor DeSantis stressed the importance of helping families as they prepare for a new school year.
“As the father of three young children, I know that getting ready for a new school year can be both exciting and stressful,” the Florida governor writes. “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.”
The letter said that the one-time stimulus check payment can be used for absolutely anything each family needs, and reminded residents that there is also a “Back-to-School” sales-tax holiday between July 25 and August 7, which will help families get the supplies they need for the next school year at a lower cost than normal.
“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,” the governor signed off.
New ‘Stimulus Checks’? Yes, They’re Real
After a spate of stimulus check hoaxes across the country from scammers preying on the vulnerability of American families struggling to pay bills, it’s no surprise that some people thought that the checks were not real – but they are.
The letters came as a surprise to many recipients, prompting media outlets across the state to reach out to the governor’s office to confirm their authenticity.
Christina Pushaw, Governor Ron DeSantis’ press secretary, confirmed on Twitter that the stimulus checks were real, in an effort to ensure that as many people as possible cash the checks and use the funds to help pay for groceries, gas, clothing, food supplies, or other necessities.
“Florida families: These letters are real,” Pushaw wrote on Twitter.
“These one-time payments of $450 per child are part of @GovRonDeSantis new budget. Please see the press release from First Lady @CaseyDeSantis roundtable on Hope Florida – A Pathway to Prosperity last week!” she continued.
An announcement from Florida’s First Lady Casey DeSantis in Tampa on Friday also indicated that the state government was moving ahead with a plan to help families prepare for a new school year.
“Making sure that we’re doing everything we can on behalf of Florida families… so $35 million within that budget will then go to support our foster and adoptive families — our single moms across the state — so they will get a one-time payment of $450,” Casey DeSantis said last week.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.