Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, commonly known as 'TANF,' affords help and employment opportunities to needy families through the granting of funds to the States,  allowing them to formulate and implement their own benefit programs at their own discretion. These programs include aid for children of needy families toward care in their own home, reducing government dependency through job preparation awareness, aid in job searches, preventing accidental pregnancies, and encouragment of two-parent households.

There are, however, work requirements. And these include:

Beneficiaries (except for rare cases) must locate gainful employment as soon as they are equipped to work - or no longer than two years after applying for assistance

Single parents are expected to work a minimum of 30 hours per week, while two-parent families are required to work 35 or 55 hours per week, depending on circumstances.

Failure to meet these prerequisites may reduce or terminate the benefits that the family in question receives. States can't penalize single parents with a youngster under 6 years of age for not meeting the work hours requirement if proper child care cannot be found.

If a State reduces its caseload, without restricting eligibility, it can receive a caseload reduction credit. This will reduce the minimum participation rates that the State is required to meet. In other words, the emphasis of the programs is to get people on their feet.

Here are the following general work programs to look out for:

Unsubsidized or subsidized employment
Internships
Community service
Job search (not more than 6 total weeks or 4 consecutive weeks)
Vocational training (not more than 12 months)
Work-related skills training
Satisfactory secondary school attendance
Child care provision to parents performing community services

Federally recognized Indian tribes may also choose to participate in the TANF block program by directly applying at the HHS. Like the States, they are provided funding for any use that agrees with the purposes of TANF. Visit www.hhs.gov to get info on how to apply.

The actual dollar amount of benefits to be received vary from State to State. Contact the TANF program in your State to find out what you need and what you will be getting. For relevant contact leads in your State, follow this link: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/hs_dir2.htm.