How Do You Spell AFDC?

Pronunciation: [ˈafdk] (IPA)

AFDC, short for Aid to Families with Dependent Children, is a welfare program that has been discontinued in the United States. The spelling of AFDC follows the standard English pronunciation rules. The IPA transcription of the word is /ˌeɪ ɛf di ˈsi/. Each letter or group of letters represents a specific sound in English. The letter A is pronounced as the 'ay' sound, F as 'eff', D as 'dee', and C as 'si'. The entire word is pronounced as 'Aid to Families with Dependent Children'.

AFDC Meaning and Definition

  1. AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) was a federal assistance program in the United States that provided financial support to low-income families with children. Initiated as part of the Social Security Act of 1935, AFDC aimed to alleviate poverty and promote the well-being of families by offering financial aid to those in need.

    Under AFDC, eligible families received monthly cash payments to assist in meeting their basic needs, such as food, housing, and clothing. The program targeted families where one parent was absent, deceased, or incapacitated, leaving the other parent or a guardian responsible for raising and providing for the children. The assistance was means-tested, and the amount of aid varied based on the recipient's income, family size, and other factors.

    AFDC operated on both federal and state levels. While the federal government provided funding, states administered the program, establishing their own eligibility criteria and benefit levels within federal guidelines. This allowed for some degree of flexibility in tailoring AFDC to the specific needs of each state.

    AFDC underwent significant reforms in the 1990s through the introduction of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which replaced AFDC in 1997. TANF enforced stricter work requirements and implemented time limits on aid, aiming to promote self-sufficiency among recipients.

    Overall, AFDC played a crucial role in providing vital financial support for low-income families, contributing to poverty reduction and the welfare of dependent children before its replacement with TANF.

Common Misspellings for AFDC

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