Need help? County launches virus fund
Harris County residents affected by COVID-19 can apply for onetime financial assistance under a $40 million emergency relief fund that launched Monday.
The county program, administered by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston’s Catholic Charities, will provide payments of $1,200 to 33,333 families struggling to make ends meet because of the pandemic. Enrollment for the program continues through Friday.
“Thousands of families across Harris County have struggled to overcome the financial damage from COVID-19,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said in a statement. “While this relief will not reach everyone who needs it, we must do everything in our power to help those who are vulnerable pull through.”
The funding is not restricted to rent and can be used to cover housing, food, utilities, health care, child care, transportation and other necessary expenses, the county said in a news release. To qualify, households must not have received previous COVID-19 assistance from Harris County.
The program follows a similar $30 million fund distributed by the county over the summer. Some families who applied to it but were not selected have al
ready been randomly chosen for the new program. Those not selected thus far should update their previous application in order to be considered for the new program.
Qualifying applications will be randomly selected after enrollment has closed, then combined with a pool of previous, unsuccessful applicants.
Applicants must live in Harris County, prove pandemic-related hardship like unpaid bills and meet the required financial threshold — a total household income less than 60 percent of the HUD AreaMedian Family Income or at least one household member enrolled in a public assistance program.
After applicants are selected, they can opt to receive the funds by bank transfer, certified mail or in-person pick-up. The programis funded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill enacted in response to the economic fallout of the pandemic.
Applicants can learn more at Catholic Charities’ website for the program or by calling 832-9901318 between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Applications must be submitted online at the Catholic Charities website.