OrangeCares relief portal shuts down

Site for virus money reaches its maximum after 10 minutes

Orange County government shut down its coronavirus assistance portal after 10 minutes Monday, likely the last chance for local aid.

The application website $1,000 grants logged 10,000 for requests from 8 to 8:10 a.m., though the process was not plagued with the technical difficulties that had forced other quick closures for people seeking a share of $36.5 million.

The portal was programmed to close after 10,000 applicants. It was the fifth time the site was open to needy residents. County staff must verify the eligibility of applicants.

“We have a finite amount of money to administer,” Orange

County Mayor said.

As of Monday, $7.5 million had been paid to applicants.

The comptroller was preparing to issue another $920,000 in checks Monday.

About 109,000 people have visited the county web site for information on the program, the mayor said.

The demand demonstrates the economic hardships in the county, said Dianne Arnold, division

Jerry Demings manager for Orange County’s Citizen Resource & Outreach, who has supervised the effort to put money in residents’ hands.

“The need is still out there,” she said. “We’re not through this yet.”

Unemployment in the county topped 23% in May, the most recent month for which the state Department of Economic Opportunity had complete statistics. June figures are expected to be released next week.

Some businesses remain closed because of efforts to slow the spread of the virus, blamed for 83 deaths in Orange County as of 11 a.m. Monday. Some businesses reopened but did not recall all furloughed workers.

She said some jobless workers also are anxious about the end of unemployment benefits.

A county spokeswoman said Monday’s portal re-opening