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236 Escambia Residents Approved For CARES Act Grants Were Not Paid. Now The Checks Will Be Mailed.
January 9, 2021
Over 200 Escambia County residents will receive their payments from the Escambia CARES Family Assistance Grant program.
The county set aside $16.5 million in CARES Act funds for local families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic — enough to send $3,000 checks to 5,500 families. Escambia County announced at the end of December that the last checks had been issued to qualified residents.
But there were actually 5,736 applications marked approved, 236 more than the available funds. Those applicants would see the word “Approved” on their online applications, leading them to believe the check was in the mail. The program was actually contingent on available funds, so those residents received nothing when the approved applications were processed in the order received.
“We’ve got to make that right,” Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh said. “We cannot tell someone they’re funded and then leave them hanging and never communicate with them again and pull the rug out from under them.”
The Escambia County Commission has voted to allocated another $708,000 to the program to cover the 236 families. Most will receive their $3,000 check without about two weeks after all the necessary paperwork is on file.
Comments
52 Responses to “236 Escambia Residents Approved For CARES Act Grants Were Not Paid. Now The Checks Will Be Mailed.”
I spent months and months and months checking the portal to see if I had been approved it wasn’t until about two months ago after pretty much giving up all hope I checked it again and it’s all that there was a payment approved for $3,000 however I had to move because there was so much water damage and mold that was growing all over the house and even though I did put in a forwarding address through the United States Postal Service I still have not received those funds as I read the portal it stated that there was no way for us to receive that money I find that so unethical and unfair that I went through such a tumultuous time only to find out that if it wasn’t received by mail and it was sent back to the clerk’s office that I still can’t receive it that doesn’t make any sense I should be able to go up and present my driver’s license and received These funds and sent everything is shut down and they don’t give you any way to know about anything there’s no one to contact there’s nobody that you can call I know this is almost a year later but I literally am just now getting back to where I was a year ago because of this I lost everything. So there’s $3,000 out there with my name on it that I can’t get is that what I’m to understand.
P.S. WAS TOLD THAT MY APPLICATION WASNT FINISH CALLED TALK TO A YOUNG LADY THAT I CALLED AND TEXT ABOUT FUNDING. BUT SHE NEVER RESPONDED BACK TO MEET THE DEADLINE ON LAST OPEN WINDOW TO HELP WITH FUNDING WHAT INFO I NEED TO COMPLETE APPLICATION .SHE DID RESPOND TO A TEXT BUT NOT CALL BACK INFO TO WHAT ELSE I NEEDED TO COMPLETE PROCESS . CAN SOIMEONE PLEASE CONTACT ME WHAT I NEED TO DO TO NOT MISS AGAIN WHEN REOPEN AGAIN .
Mines was saying it need more information so i resent it then it said my application was under review now it back to saying it need more information
I’ve gone down to the office 5 time they say all my information is there and my application is now complete but still no check as of 2/18/2020
I have been approved emailed sent to me from Ms Sherry. I was told that a representative will be in touch with me. This has not happened. Please let me know
It said i was approved and that i was waiting on the check to get mailed out now its saying its saying they need more info.
I had screenshot I was approved and ready to be disbursed and go back in my account 2 weeks later saying I am denied because they ran out of money. I hope I can still get my check! I really need that help, because my job shut down in march of 2020.
Like many others that commented, I submitted my application online and was assured that I would get a call from someone. They pretty much told me I would be approved. Not to mention that the article originally stated first come first serve. Well I submitted mine by 11:00 am on the day the portal opened up to accept applications. Never heard a word. Never got a email. Never heard anything for months. And then now we find out that it wasn’t first come first serve but yal picked through them and somehow chose who deserved it based off the 3 “qualifying” questions we had to fill out ? The application also said we would be contacted to discuss the details of our situation as there was no place on the application to put this information. It’s a little confusing how you can change the laws and procedures on something like this and especially dealing w over $ 3.5 million dollars. Totally unethical. Unfortunately I agree with the above statements that this has been handled fraudulently. There is no reason that 5,000 applications couldn’t receive some payment or at least a call for the MILLIONS of dollars that was supposed to help families affected by covid. I would love to know the reason yal skipped over some of the very first people to apply and gave it to others. The way this was handled is really pretty embarrassing on Escambia County’s behalf. Really dropped the ball on this whoever was in charge. Zero communication, and lied in the article about the process, and then picked and chose their favorites and probably family and friends and completely ignored what was stated originally about the way this grant money was to be distributed. Also the applications had numbers on them and mine was filled out around the 1000 mark and 100% qualified and somehow didn’t get “chosen”. Whoever dispersed this money thought they could make up their own guidelines as they went which is not the way that government money that is funded by taxpayers should go. I will copy and paste the original article below where it clearly states first come first serve basis. AND $2,000. That way everyone could get help that needs it. Another thing is that they asked for your 2019 w2 which is prior to covid to base your income on. It doesn’t take much sense to realize that if people are affected by covid their income isn’t the same as it was 10 months prior to the pandemic. So why would we base the income on that figure ? Well I called and asked and was assured that they wouldn’t base it off of that number. But
I have been going back and forth to Pensacola and Gainesville Florida with my son from may 1 until July due to him being burned in a house fire now I’m in Texas and I really need help thanks ❤
I’m a mother of two and I have lost everything due to my 10 year old son was in a fire in Pensacola Florida in may. My son had 90%burns all over his body I was in Texas when the cares Act started I’m still at the hospital but we will be coming home soon and I really could use the money for us to find a place to live also clothes for him so if possible tell me where can I apply I’m currently at shriners hospital for children but be back in Florida in April thanks ❤
…finally, with nowhere to go and no income my boyfriend told me to get in my car and drive as far as the gas in it would take me… unemployment paid a week or so later, big chunk too…I caught up bills and used the money for hotels until I was able to but a RV that got smashed in Sally…nowhere to put it, my friend let me park it there until I gave them all my money I had left…they ripped the 30amp power box out and threatened to tow my RV if I didn’t leave…I had to sell it for pennies with nowhere to place it…I’ve since left town and florida unemployment has yet again glitched out to stop paying in the last two weeks and I’m stuck penniless, again and couldn’t come home if I wanted to until someone pushes a button…I submitted all the paperwork, should have been a no brainier approval…I did submit at the last minute but it was on time…I didn’t want to ask for help and now they just wasted people’s time too…like everyone now… don’t call, don’t ask, wait and shut up…anyone who tells me that needs to be investigated immediately for fraud….not the people
Is Florida still a “Sunshine” state? The whole thing was shady…and was supposed to be $2k per qualified family BUT instead of doing the work they said screw it, gave $3k per family to less people when they could almost have covered all the applications…all the folks who were behind this shady dispersement better have done everything else by the book…I’m sure prosecutions will follow not for fraud by citizens but by the people with their hands on the checkbook…too much $$ in front of people who think they’re gonna get away with it….plus, they moved the date and very few people knew about it…I applied in time. I lost my job 3/21 due to covid-19, waited penniless with only threats to get out of my boyfriend’s youswmonths to get paid by unemployment an
Mines was saying it was under review and I just needed to send in my 1040 form in I went down there to the main court house and checked on it to see was that all she said yess I needed to send it in then when i did i got a email from Mr Maxwell pP. Roger’s email saying they are no longer excepting information on this email anymore about the cares grant so I don’t know if i need to go down there or try to send it to him again through escambia cares grant email
Happy New Year’s for of all!. I personally want to thank Commisoner Jeff Begosh for recognizing the applicants that were approved but they have not received their checks. I applied for the application around September 2020 and I signed my W9 form and emailed it and still did not hear anything. However, I completed another W9 form and Mrs. Christine Crespo scanned my W9 form and she contacted the caseworker that was receiving my paperwork! I had everything complete and no check! So, I am being patient like Job of course I am not Job! lol My application first stated pending then I reset my password and then it said application under review! Lord help me today! Thank you and I hope everyone that applied review a supernatural breakthrough! Amen
Tangela S. Howard
I applied as soon as the application window opened. I submitted all required documents, and within the 3 weeks no County Representative contacted me to notify me of the status of my application. I called and sent a few emails hoping that someone would answer or reply, so I can be certain I didn’t make the slightest mistake. But months later my application still says “Application Submitted”. Now, all processing of applications for the Grant Program has closed. All applicants have been made aware of their status through the application portal. Since, the status of application for my household states “Application Submitted”, does it mean it was obviously submitted but not accepted? If so, it would be nice to know why my household wasn’t eligible instead of being ignored and basically left hanging; because we were negatively impacted by the pandemic. I was not able to work from March to May (even now, the business I work for is still not running on full capacity.) My husband’s work hours were also reduced around that time. We were living off credit cards. When I finally got my unemployment checks, they were only enough to cover the bills. Also, I know people who were approved and got their checks from the Family Emergency Grant and their 2019 income were higher than my household’s. So how come they were approved and my family wasn’t? I called a couple more times and left voicemails, sent several emails, but no success. I need to know if my application was even seen by someone at all… (We were impacted by Hurricane Sally, too. Our insurance for the house was a joke. And FEMA denied our application for assistance.) I’m happy for the families who got approved and received their checks, but I can’t help to feel very disappointed because I don’t even know what happened to my application. My family was really counting on getting the Grant.
I applied as soon as the application window opened. I submitted all required documents, and within the 3 weeks no County Representative contacted me to notify me of the status of my application. I called and sent a few emails hoping that someone would answer or reply, so I can be certain I didn’t make the slightest mistake. But months later my application still says “Application Submitted”. Now, all processing of applications for the Grant Program has closed. All applicants have been made aware of their status through the application portal. Since, the status of application for my household states “Application Submitted”, does it mean it was obviously submitted but not accepted? If so, it would be nice to know why my household wasn’t eligible instead of being ignored and basically left hanging; because we were negatively impacted by the pandemic. I was not able to work from March to May (even now, the business I work for is still not running on full capacity.) My husband’s work hours were also reduced around that time. We were living off credit cards. When I finally got my unemployment checks, they were only enough to cover the bills. Also, I know people who were approved and got their checks from the Family Emergency Grant and their 2019 income were higher than my household’s. So how come they were approved and my family wasn’t? I called a couple more times and left voicemails, sent several emails, but no success. I need to know if my application was even seen by someone at all… (We were impacted by Hurricane Sally, too. Our insurance for the house was a joke. And FEMA denied our application for assistance.) I’m happy for the families who got approved and received their checks, but I can’t help to feel very disappointed because I don’t even know what happened to my application. My family was really counting on getting the Grant.
Me and my cuzzin was approved for the payment also and when calling clara s.long about the payments we was told check were coming in the few weeks it was at clerk office last stop to being sent out,this is crazy because ppl like us went from being stable to No Christmas,for kids bills behind,of getting cut off due to waiting for this payment Meanwhile we watching the news and checks were being cutt for ppl doing fraudulent activity and they hadn’t had to wait or have all these documents they are ask for now , Question how is that far to the one with paperwork that’s been in the system waiting for payments,this isn’t far to the 236,family’s who just went through hell and still isn’t payed,
Need a grant to catch up my Bill’s
I really pray that I’m in that listing because I really fell on hard time haven’t really fully recovered from Hurricane covid-19 Sally at all and still unable to find a job at the present moment please send it help it would be much needed
Its telling me that I have an account but I never did this. How can I get the right information
I need help
I’m a mother a grandmother That need some help Which I believe we all fall short But by the grace of God trouble don’t last always have the always remind myself with my grandma told me So thank you and make I bless you
I was in class of pending and because my address did’n't matchmy 1099. My case number is 42218 please I need the money to fine a place to stay.thank you
My status has been “approved “ complete” for weeks never got the check.Finally call to see what is going on after multiple emails to the man who reach out to me telling me I was approved.To find out there was no more money light bills and behind due to be cut off with a newborn these people don’t care! I hope they make this right for ALL not “most”
My husband. Dose painting not working to much because cov19
I’m homeless now thanks escambia county.
I was APPOVED SENT AN EMAIL SAYING SENT TO CLERKS OFFICE NEVER DID I GET 3000 GRANT MONEY…
I was appoved had them email me told me approve for 3000 and was sent to clerks office NEVER DIS I RECEIVED ANYTHING
Help
I called was told there would be someone contacting me about a form i filled out wrong but the portal didn’t allow me to correct. I was assured that I would have the opportunity to correct it. No one ever called or emailed me. I left ma message on their phone explaining myself to no avail. My escarosa case worker helped me correct my mistake and told me to call.
I approve for the check they send mines back now asking me for bills in my name how show bills in my name I’m homeless
I’m in disabil due to health mine stayed pending for 2 months saying needing more info I contacted them by email and phone repeatedly, finally 12/3 I found out where they were Located so I went down there they told me that I was approved but that I didn’t have anything and they’re showing why I didn’t fall Texas they told me to write a statement showing that I didn’t file taxes which I did she said but it won’t matter because we actually run out of funding and they cut the last check yesterday so does that mean that I will get a check or who do I need to contact?
I applied for the cares act I was pregnant and my father in law was diagnosed with COVID and me and my husband also had which put my husband out of work…my application still says under review I tried to call and email but I have yet too hear anything from any one I would just like to know if we were approved or not because having people sitting around waiting and thinking they are is not right. I filled my application out same day the application opened I wasn’t able to sign the w-9 that was the only thing. But I have yet too hear anything from anyone.
Hello my name is franklin d english I checked the status of my application it said that it has been summited and I just want to know what’s taking sooo long because I’m a single man with bills to pay just checking on my application.
My portal has said funded and approved for 2 months now and still no money!!!!! As a single mother I was depending on that money!! Please help
I did mine back in September online and i emailed all the documents and it never moved past pending
I was told that someone would call me iback in regards to my application status. Never heard back from anyone.
To Who It May Concern I Put In Nov 3 2020 And They Diniled Me Because She Say You Have To Be Sick To Get Help My Grandbaby Got Corona19 From Me And I Didn’t Have No Ideal I Was Sick But I Just Stay Away From Famlies Once I Found Out I Did 14 Days My Lights. Went Off And Am Still Trying To Get Help And My Name Cynthia Tyson It. Not Good Been Disappoinning I Thank Because It’s A Blessing Am Still Here But Lights Still Off
I need Help application was Cut off please help the ones who did not get a chance to sign up..
I would just like to say thank you to Commissioner Bergosh! So many times we focus on the negative of county leaders and not the positive. He saw an error in communication with families and said we must make this right for those people! This act of understanding and compassion shows he truly cares about the community he was was elected to represent. Thank you again Commissioner Bergosh for your commitment to this community and its members!
I applied back in September 28, 2020. I received a complete and approve notice on my portal and that i was getting 3000 dollars grant. I never received it. It still shows the same information on my portal. I was one of the ones left out.
On September 25 2020 I submitted my application and all necessary documents I received notification that my application & documents were submitted. I was told within 3-4 weeks I would hear something…..I’ve heard nothing from no one!!
Application & all paperwork was completed & turned in on the 25th of September, was even told I would hear something within3-4 weeks….haven’t heard anything from anyone.
Yeah I was approved and never received anything..The one time I was able to get in touch with anyone to try and help me I was told if I get it I get it if I don’t then I don’t, in those exact words. I’ve lost faith in ever receiving it at all. My application still says approved. I even tried to reach out to news outlets to see if someone could explain what was going on with no response. I’d like to think it will be made right but won’t get my hopes up.
I was told I was approved on Nov 5th, then application stated complete. I called several times and was told yes I was approved and wait on the payment. I had yet to hear anything so I began reaching out to those over the program. I left 5 or 6 messages, stated I would escalate the situation, now to cover themselves my application no longer says complete, it says “under review”. Well that’s a step back from complete so that they don’t have to provide the funds they promised. I feel as though that was very deceitful. However me being who I am, I had already took a screenshot back in November when the portal showed my application as saying “complete” and amount funded. I also have the emails from when I myself reached out and told I was approved.
Help
I was told that I would be getting a check in the mail in November and I still have yet to receive it it would be nice to know one way or not if I’m getting it or not
I filled out the online form for assistance and it was marked “pending for more information”. I left messages and emailed and I was never contacted. I decided to go thru my application and found I had left a document out. I emailed it in and my status was changed to pending approval. I could see where my emailed document was attached. Last night I went through it again and the emailed document is no longer there.
This approval process doesn’t seem to be consistent or fair. My husband lost several Army Reserve days and we could really use this to catch up with bills.
So what does it mean when it says under review??
I was told I was eligible in September for asistant never heard anything else from them I would love to hear her either accepted or not thank you
In need of financial assistance…
I received a message that my application was accepted and somebody would be getting in touch with me in 3 weeks. This was in December and I haven’t heard anything. I checked my status today and I’m denied. This is rediculous. My caseworker helped me fill it out and I know I had it in on time.