JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – All 3,300 spots for the Senior and Disabled Financial Assistance Program have been claimed, the city of Jacksonville said Saturday morning.
In addition to all of the spots being claimed in less than an hour after enrollment began at 8 a.m. Saturday, the waiting list also filled up.
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At this time all 3,300 spots for the Senior and Disabled Relief Program have been claimed and the waiting list is full. Thank you for applying. pic.twitter.com/kDpGqhJNla
— City of Jacksonville (COJ) (@CityofJax) June 20, 2020
The program provides stimulus payments to seniors who qualify and those with disabilities to help make ends meet. Through the program, up to 3,300 residents will receive one-time payments of $300 that are intended to offset financial strain they’ve endured during the coronavirus pandemic. The payment can be used for groceries, utilities, transportation and other expenses.
Applicants were asked to create a profile on the program’s website ahead of time. Those who need help with their applications were told to call 904-255-8888. The city said about 10 a.m. Saturday that operators were not adding more names to the waiting list.
According to the city, more than half of the applications were received online through the website. A city spokesperson said the system worked.
Attention Local Media: all spots for the senior and disabled relief grant program were claimed in 55 minutes. This includes the waiting list. At this time operators at 630-CITY are NOT adding more names to the waiting list. @ActionNewsJax @jaxdotcom @wjxt4 @FCN2go
— City of Jacksonville (COJ) (@CityofJax) June 20, 2020
To qualify, residents must meet the following criteria:
- You must live in Duval County;
- You must be either 72 years or older, or receive Social Security Disability benefits;
- You must certify that you did not receive funds through the city’s VyStar Small Business Assistance and Employee Retention Loan Program;
- You must certify that you did not receive funds through the city’s Mortgage, Rent and Utilities Relief Program;
- You must have lost income or seen your expenses grow as a result of COVID-19;
- Your adjusted gross income must not have been higher than $30,000 in 2019;
- You must also provide your date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number;
- Only one card will be issued for each household.
The city said applications submitted through the program will be screened for accuracy and completeness before payments are sent out. Payment cards, which act like credit cards, will be mailed directly to recipients, who must then call a customer service number to activate them.
To learn more, visit the program’s website.