Puerto Rico’s government began distributing an $800 per-student school bonus on Thursday to families participating in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, aimed at covering back-to-school expenses. The Department of the Family said the benefit, worth $2.8 million total, will be disbursed through the Administration for the Socioeconomic Development of the Family (ADSEF).
A total of 2,028 families will receive the incentive, benefiting 3,470 eligible children. Funds can be used for uniforms, school supplies, shoes and other necessary items. The aid targets families in TANF Category C who remained active as of June 2026; eligibility is determined automatically with no application needed, and funds go directly onto the Tarjeta Única.
Governor Jenniffer González said the assistance, funded federally, represents an investment in Puerto Rican children’s welfare. Family Secretary Suzanne Roig Fuertes said the bonus eases families’ economic burden during back-to-school season. ADSEF Administrator Blanca M. Medina noted the timing coincides with the sales-tax-exempt (IVU) weekend for school items and uniforms, set for Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18, allowing families to maximize the value of the incentive.