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Escambia Family Cares Grant Program Has Distributed Final Check Payments
December 31, 2020
Escambia County says the Escambia CARES Family Assistance Grant program has ended with the last of the $3,000 checks issued to qualified residents.
In total, the grant program sent 5,500 payments of $3,000 directly to county residents. In all, the county directed $16.5 million to its citizens through Escambia CARES Family Assistance Grant program. Dozens of county employees worked hard to review nearly 10,000 applications.
In addition to the Family CARES grant, the county also delivered $7,500 to 428 businesses as a part of the Escambia CARES Business Grant program. A total of $3.2 million was distributed to area businesses through this program.
The county also assisted households impacted by COVID-19 who were late on rent, mortgage and utility bills through the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) offered through Florida Housing Finance Corporation. The county made 803 payments directly to accounts in arrears totaling $1.3 million for 389 income eligible households through the Rent and Mortgage assistance program.
With the conclusion of these programs, staff will no longer be responding to phone calls or emails in regard to the grants. To check the status of any Escambia CARES grant payments, view the county’s check registry online.
The Escambia County Family CARES Grant program is part of a larger federally funded stimulus package that was required to be spent by the Dec. 30, 2020 deadline. In total, there was a $57.3 million allocation for Escambia County.
Comments
36 Responses to “Escambia Family Cares Grant Program Has Distributed Final Check Payments”
I was approved last year and still never got anything. Who can I call to find out about this?
Can you tell me if the $3000.00 has to be claim on my taxes?
I was also told since mine was completed and the clerk had it I would get a check and yet here we are no response to questions no nothing…. They should have kept it at 2000 maybe then everyone who deserved one would have gotten one….
I was approved on 11/19/20 and I’ve yet to receive anything from the county I contacted someone and assured me I’ll get it by the end of the month of December and yet I haven’t seen a penny and no I have no answers to any of the questions
I applied and was approved still haven’t recieved anything i thought it would help catch up on rent instead people that don’t need it got it faster but I’ll depend on God!
Why did they bump the grant if they knew they couldn’t pay everyone. The family grant was supposed to be $2000. That’s what everyone was initially expecting when they applied. I was approved and got nothing because they ran out of funds. Maybe they could have paid everyone the $2000 they were expecting first before paying out an extra $1000 and leaving others with nothing. Poor money management in Escambia!!!!
I think we should demand a look at where all the money went to, it’s called accountability, I applied for rental and utilities because I didn’t know there would be a program for just utilities so I was denied , I am a widow with 4 grandchildren in my home trying to make it one 520 a month. Everyone has had a hard time financial physically mentally, everyone except your government. Everything they do is for a reason. Land of the free and the brave my ass you get less and less free everyday and they keep everyone so distracted trying to survive you don’t know what they’re doing. Republican or democrat, rights right and wrongs wrong period no matter what you call yourself, I don’t call my self either.
I’m happy for those that was able to receive assistance. I just don’t think the government is doing enough. The government needs to address help for the people that were affected by Hurricane Sally, how there is an affordable housing shortages, how rent has increased greatly since Hurricane Sally and the evictions that are going to take place and cause even more problems. Freeze all evictions.
I applied early for the CARES ACT money and I just don’t understand you close out the program! You don’t respond to emails or voicemails. I get you all were busy but at least let someone know the status of there application. Two days before the program ended my status finally changed to under review and the next day there is no more money, go figure. I don’t understand if you trying to help everyone why raise the money from 2000 to 3000 if you knew there was a possibility you could run out if funds. A waist of time and sent you guys personal information to not get anything!
I’m happy and thankful that most people gotten the opportunity to get help, even though I wasn’t one of them. I’m still very thankful for others.
I have not got my check
I applied first day told me i was denied didn’t give me any reason why try calling give me.answerimg machine people receive it that didn’t even need it i honestly like to know why am living on fix income light bills five hundred dallors maybe why i was denied i two lost for words
I applied the first day. Never get a email,call or nothing. I called several times and got told to just wait. The last time I called I was told they were out if money and I was s.o.l. $hi+ out of luck,is what the lady told me. They skip over applications and if something was wrong with one instead of contacting you ,they skipyou and go on. There was no first come first served. I’m self employed and cant get unemployment or any help. Bet those that worked at the place answering calls and going over the application all got their $3000.00. I k ow for a fact they skipped people.people I told about it day after I applied for emails and I got no contact. Unstead of helping everyone who applied.they raise the amount a $1000 to the $3000. The county got 52 million and couldn’t help all that applied. I’m sure other counties didnt have this problem. Everyone should contact county commissioner Bergosh. He was in charge of it. They should of helped those who are not getting unemployment or dont qualify.not like my roommate who’s made $4000 a month staying home getting drunk and high. Also refusing to work when hes getting more to stay at home rhan when he worked.
I was approved for the grant and was later told there is no more money. Where did it all go. How can you approve someone and not have enough money. I’m sure someone was in charge and get paid to make sure not to approve more applications than they can paid. Something in the milk ain’t clean and that person needs to be investigated.
On the bright side, things aren’t as bad as they will get.
I want to see if I qualified as I’m on lockdown from my job from covid 19
I applied for the 3,000 grant the day it opened up ,I’m a single mother or 2 and have my own cleaning business, I have been out of work since march due to covid i dont receive any other assistance from the state ,I checked the list of checks issued to people that I know personally and they never lost their job threw this whole time and one of the requirements for this grant was to show loss of income, so I know they didnt properly review all the applications not only that some of the people who got checks are on hud ,which they pay the rent and sends them utilities check ,so who did this really help??? I sent in a my info and my status has said under review for the last 3 months then they made an announcement it was over saying if they recieved any more funds I’ll be up for review!! I’m very disappointed in the escambia clerk’s office and the way they handled the application for people who are really out of work and on the verge of being evicted or getting their power cut off!! Its a shame they got so much $$ they could have allocated it better so everyone would get a piece of the pie!!
I’m living in a hotel and having not been happy here I’m disappointed and very upset the way things are in this world. I am very disabled I’m 60 years old Twisted spine Mesa right shoulders can do anything for myself now they want to give us $600 check that’s not a helping me at all I cannot live on this .Ms Cynthia King
@ Danielle H: —- You would think that with the checks being issued by the Clerk of the Court Internal Auditors Office, you would be able to contact that office and provide the check number listed for your payment and they should be able to give you the status on the check and where it was mailed to. A search of the Clerks website provided this number for the Internal Auditor: 850-595-4830.
The aforementioned number wont help those seeking assistance, only those who account information indicates a check was issued to them.
For those whose accounts show a check was issued and then withdrawn, it may be that the final review of paperwork determined that the applicant didnt meet all of the required standards or that someone else at the same address had previously been issued a payment. Remember, the grant money was limited to one per address, regardless of how many people living at that address may have applied.
Am.homeless and been trying to get help sleeping in my car I really need help ….for some where to live…lost my job from the airport…something i had no control of.. help me please….
Instead of giving away FREE MONEY, the County should have hired 5000 people and put them to work picking up roadside litter, painting over graffiti laden items or assisting at the Animal Shelter, or re-installing, bent, twisted or otherwise missing street signs.
I have been trying to get help with my rent since August and it was not successful and all of sudden news pop up on my sceen and now its to late but I am happy for those who succeed and knew where to go cause I want some of everywhere for help.
Just because they gave you a Care’s act for people that were under the working class and poverty level all that money all that taxpayer money that went into that fine funnel out and no one got it I’ve read everyone’s comment on here and it’s so sad to see that everyone got approved for a cash payout but didn’t receive their payment so that means some of y’all need to file civil suit against the care Zach because if it’s saying that y’all were approved and you still haven’t received payment and if so behind in bills and the website saying you were approved means you need to call the BBB or file a civil suit against Care at cuz he has a funnel that money to someone else were there invisible in it would it be in the State of Florida anything’s possible
Wonderfl
I need help with rent
@ Thomas Melvin
I know your frustrated, but you are the only one I would assume who thinks helping people is a joke.
I know all the ones that did get the help do not think it is a joke either.
Many do not, as yourself, think that if a landlord does evict you…its his right to pay his bills also.
The overreaching of government to take possession of a landlords life line and finances is not legal.
The judges ruling comes from law..not taking his or her sides.
You will see more of this concerning evictions.
The landlord shall not have a burden on him brought on by any government action or taking of his property.
The politicians did not do their homework on law.
You just cant create a rule and try to call it a law or mandatory
Landlords should suffer because you dont want to suffer.?
The landlord did not create this pandemic as you put it either
Wish you well but that “no eviction proclamation” was not legal…the rule of law is. Law and proclamation thrown to the wind get confusing for some.
Every landlord will win their property back.
No, its not a good feeling for anyone.
But the landlords property is his, just like your car is yours.
Good luck and sincerely mean that
After reading everyone’s comments I started to cry again.Its sad that after I reached out to the head board members/upper management because I too applied September 25 and I got approved weeks went by never got a check lost my home in hurricane sally, fiance had Covid-19 this past summer lost hour and hours of work. Living at a hotel and then the hotel we was at said they suffered damage and we were displaced again losing everything but looking forward to this money to only be told that because I gave them my mailing address and it was not my actual home address which again my home was distroyed by Hurricane sally they in turn took their approval back…..I was so hurt by after all of what my family gone through to be treated like this….I even went on Channel 3 news to get help but they still did not help. They dont care about the people even though they said that’s what they want to do….
On top of me losing my husband to Covid I also lost his income. I have been struggling emotionally as well as financially. I turned in all of my required documents on 28 September and for about a month and a half it stated it was under review. Once I called and spoke to the staff that was processing my paperwork,My status being changed to approved and funded. I’m just hoping more fiends are coming to at least assist the applicants who were told that they were approved and funded. Myself as well as several of my coworkers were under the impression that our check was in the mail. I could understand where the response to this grant was overwhelming but it doesn’t negate the fact thatThe communication aspect of this whole situation could have been much better. There are people literally out here that are waiting on funds to pay their rent to keep their cars from being repossessed to put food on the table. I don’t think is any one person’s fault it’s just a communication aspect of it. If it said I was funded that means the money was in place for my application. To me that’s what it means. I’m just hoping more help is on the way. Thank you
This program was a joke,it had a 45000 max income limit and if u made over that in 2019 it didnt allow you to proceed. WTH does my situation im 2019 have to do with my current pre pandemic needs? I emailed everyone from the Mayor to state and local senators and representatives never heard back from any of them personally but i did get a call from a couple of office secretaries a d a. Email from a couple of them from someone in their offices.I Guess you have to be someone from Fox News to have an actual conversation.This grant money could have saved me and my daughter from being evicted.Yes thats right EVICTED even after the CDC MORATORIUM, qualifying for its protection a d following the guidelines it required.My landlord filed eviction and Judge presiding over case ruled in favor of my landlord saying basically the cdc order was unconstitutional.Now im homeless and with my compromised health cant live in a mission,so I guess for now till im back working,I will be living in my car,couch surfing,or staying where i can,God bless those who were able to get the funds provided.I think this political BS needs to stopppp right now a d we need bipartisan leadership to take control and provide the much needed relief Americans are experiencing at no fault of their own.WE CERTAINLY DIDNT ASK FOR THIS PANDEMIC OR CORONA VIRUS!!!!!
I WAS APPROVED ! SO WHERE DID MY MONEY GO???
I received an approved email on October 20th saying I was approved for the funds. Two months roll by and I still haven’t heard anything from anyone about my application. So I started calling the numbers from the Escambia website, only for them to tell me to just keep waiting. So I eventually went down to the Brownsville Community Center to find out that they didn’t have proof of a utility bill, but they were supposedly calling ppl if they didn’t have all they’re paperwork they needed to file the application. Now my account says “Complete” but now yall are out of funds. I’m so pissed off about this cause I’ve been waiting months for help, just to find out yall ran out of money!!! How do yall start a program yall not prepared for??? Now I’m sitting here figuring out how am I going to survive NOW
That number they listed to call was just an automated system!!! Never was able to speak with someone
So, how do we track a check thay “says” it has been sent out…my date was back 3 months ago??
My check went to the address I had on my 2019 tax form. Once I found this out by calling the Hotline established I was sent in circles around the county government asking for a reissue to be considered. No one seemed to know anything about who I should speak with. I made regular calls to Human Services as well as the clerks office but still nothing. Then yesterday when checking the check registry I saw it had been canceled. I called the usual suspects again and was told this time “ sorry, these funds are exhausted. They knew however that this check was in question and didn’t have the heart to reach out. Even though applicants info is on file. I know I put the wrong address, but I’d think as long as I could provide proof I am who I say I am a reissue could be done. Instead the 3 grand has up and vanished. I’m thinking this may not be an isolated incident
I applied for this grant on September 28th 2020. I turn in all my information and i never received my grant. Now my portal says complete and approve. I just felt like i was treated wrong and i didnt receive my grant. Now the program is out of funds and i been applied. Do u know when another grant is coming for the all the applicants that didnt receive this grant? But still my application is still on file. What happens now?
I am so disappointed. I applied for Family Cares Grant. I was approved, and my application was complete. However, no check was issued to me. I’m a disabled widow raising my granddaughter with no help. I’m so behind on bills due to illness during this pandemic. Why would you say someone was approved and your own website says anyone with complete status would receive a check. I’ve no idea how I’ll catch up now.