Another 800 Should Receive $3,000 Escambia CARES Grant Soon

February 5, 2021

An additional 800 people are on track to receive a $3,000 Escambia County Family CARES grant as county staffers continue to work to contact about 1,000 more.

In January, the Escambia County Commission instructed county staff to reach about again to about 2,500 Family CARES Grant applicants who do not have complete information on their application.

Of those 2,500 applicants, 1,500 have been contacted and 800 of those have responded and provided needed information.

“We’re making good progress. We have seven county staff that are working on this,” Deputy County Administrator Chips Kirschenfeld told commissioners Thursday. “We think those 800 will be good to go. We’ve got about 1,000 more people to contact that have not been easy to contact, but we’re still working on that.”

Kirschenfeld the final total will be about 1,000 additional grants to be awarded to residents that provide the needed documentation.

“We think over the next three or four weeks, we should have all those contacts made,” Kirschenfeld said. Applicants will have two weeks to respond once they are contacted by the county.

Applicants can check their status in an online portal. If the status indicates “Applications Under Review,” the applicant should expect contact from the county.

The Escambia County Family CARES Grant program application and verification process began back on September 25 of last year. As of December 30, the county had approved 5,736 households for the $3,000 grants totaling over $17 million. In its four-day application window, the county received a higher than anticipated volume of applications with 9,558 households submitting information.

During a Thursday meeting, Commissioner Steven Barry thanked county staff for their hard work on the grant program and getting at least 800 more residents approved.

“That’s going to be a huge impact on their household and on their life, and it’s an impact that wouldn’t have taken place if the board had not taken additional actions,” Barry said.

Comments

38 Responses to “Another 800 Should Receive $3,000 Escambia CARES Grant Soon”

  1. Frances Billiot on June 16th, 2021 2:30 pm

    Was called in Oct 2020 that they needed more information, and I went down to the office to give the was rest of my info. Two weeks later I called the Clerks office to find out the status of my app. and she said she had it on her desk and told me I was approved, and she said which is a good thing. Here we are in June 2021, and like many others, I have not received anything. I can’t even get in touch with anyone to find out about anything.

  2. Sarah Rogers on March 13th, 2021 1:51 am

    It is now March and my account says packet sent to clerk and has said this for several weeks now. Still have not received a check and it doesn’t look as though the clerk is writing any more checks for this. I don’t understand.

  3. Sandra Mickle on March 8th, 2021 11:27 am

    I’m really uncertain how all this works, we all suffered some form of devastation in 2020 of Hurricane Sally..I applied for this aid assistance back in September, I recieved an email on the 3rd of March…called number spoke with her’ & was told she get back in 10 mins..it”s now March 8th still waiting for a Reply.

  4. William peterson on February 10th, 2021 4:33 pm

    I fly them last day of benefits at the ground for church and I haven’t heard a word from you people please let me know I should be qualified to get this benefit

  5. Kendra. on February 9th, 2021 5:08 pm

    I know a few that lied and whole house got checks. It’s not right. How come some go jail some do not. How does one even report cares fraud.

  6. Gant on February 8th, 2021 10:03 am

    I helped over 10 people do their application 2 weeks after i did mine.all 10 people have recieved check.some had to redo paperwork but eventually all aprooved and got check.mine on the otherhand said aprrooved long before theirs and still say aprooved 3000 to this day but no check and my name not in check register.i was toldcleck office lost a batch and they had to redo it but it was done and i should get the check within 2 weeks.well that was in mid november.and as of today still no help.i have emailed mr.bergosh,luman may, mr leroy and cares act program.still no response.this is sad and unfair.seems the people really needed this did not get it.i plan on leaving state of florida soon one day .we have the worse unemployment system and resources for familys.i work on the beach and after covid19 closed my job.i was forced to unemployment then as soon as my job open back up then here cone sally.things will happen its how the city handle it is what matters and it seems a bunch of fraud and unfairness going on within the program.people have been taking to jail before for stealing grant money .not us, but the ones trusted to give it to us.i pray for everyone on here get their grant money that they qualify for.

  7. Penny isaacs on February 8th, 2021 1:27 am

    Have a disabled son single mom , sending a child
    To collage, lost my job durning the covit . Didnt
    Receive stimulus. Need help

  8. Jada on February 8th, 2021 12:25 am

    Hey how’s life everyone stay safe clean go green!

  9. Dena Paulson on February 7th, 2021 7:43 pm

    Help

  10. Julius C Cezar on February 7th, 2021 5:50 pm

    Still waiting. Thank You.

  11. Marlo Quenetta Smith on February 7th, 2021 5:10 pm

    I have no help, lost job and can’t get in touch with employment.

  12. Viggens Guerrier on February 7th, 2021 4:12 pm

    Me and my family need some assets..please! Some one listen

  13. Delores Hughley on February 7th, 2021 3:36 pm

    Me and my family need help

  14. Laura Samikannu on February 7th, 2021 8:58 am

    I new nothing about this such ashame

  15. Sandra Stallworth on February 7th, 2021 1:27 am

    I applied to Cares Act, but never heard from them. I was told that My Application had been received.

  16. Rita Powell on February 6th, 2021 11:33 pm

    I applied when they first started I never heard anything back from anyone and I am in need of help really bad

  17. Patrick Pippin on February 6th, 2021 10:11 pm

    I just tried to get help with my Gulf Power bill I couldn’t lent get my information and missed appointment with li-heap have information now can’t get anyone. Utilities were shut off have been playing rent and other bills. Sue Pippin

  18. TONYA BAKER on February 6th, 2021 9:32 pm

    Help

  19. Gwen on February 6th, 2021 8:43 pm

    I received a check last Tuesday. A couple of weeks ago I got an email stating I needed to provide a ECUA bill no later than September 2020. I sent my latest bill and statement showing we had lived here for quite a while and pointed out according to the directions this wasn’t needed for proof of residence since I had sent a copy of my driver license. They replied not good enough so I sent my ECUA bills from June 2020 thru Dec 2020. Next reply was I would have a check within 4 weeks. I feel that they are making this so much harder than it has to be.

  20. Frances Billiot on February 6th, 2021 7:20 pm

    I talked to someone about my grant, it has been awhile now. She said that I was approved, but I have never received anything. Also had been to their office to bring missing information.

  21. Dezra Kenmille on February 6th, 2021 7:02 pm

    Me and family could really use the money times are hard and there getting hard we just become homeless we have no vehicle and and no work to make any income to to rent a place right now I’m a single mom trying to figure out are next step in are life’s it would be nice to have any help right now

  22. Lillie James on February 6th, 2021 3:36 pm

    Applied in September of 2020 and never heard from anyone

  23. Tabitha Riley on February 6th, 2021 3:16 pm

    Can someone please contact me i haven’t been contacted

  24. Samer yousef on February 6th, 2021 3:15 pm

    Please im in need

  25. Agnes Holston on February 6th, 2021 3:15 pm

    I applied was denied due to funds i never wa given an explanation on why

  26. Samer yousef on February 6th, 2021 3:15 pm

    Please im in need i have 5 children and me and my wife

  27. Thomas Jenkins on February 6th, 2021 2:37 pm

    My address was changed and my check sent back to cares people, then I went to office and was told to take it up with the Post office. So I never got the check and thts crazy

  28. Cynthia English on February 6th, 2021 1:59 pm

    I applied the first week back in September and they had emailed me that my application was submitted to another family assistant program and I haven’t heard anything more I would really like to know if I was eligible for the grant thank you .

  29. michael on February 6th, 2021 8:35 am

    We applied, received an email stating we would get $3000. nothing happed. we were told it was a mistake by Jeff Bergosh’s office. joke.

  30. Destiny Dunnigan on February 6th, 2021 8:22 am

    Hi I applied for the cares act grant when it first opened but you all made it so hard too sign the w-9 form that was the only thing I was missing…I wasn’t able too work due too being pregnant and couldn’t take take that risk I already have COVID when I was pregnant and it was hard because I couldn’t do what I needed too do to provide for my family…I really hope I am one of those 800 people that will be contacted because it will help.

  31. Teresa Moton on February 6th, 2021 4:42 am

    I did everything that was asked
    My landlord was not reachable so I didn’t receive help.

  32. Alaina Miller on February 6th, 2021 3:52 am

    I emailed all documents in and never got a response back and it still says my application is under review

  33. Ann Bramlet on February 6th, 2021 2:00 am

    I applied when it first opened. I was told I was missing a form I went to Brownsville community center , filled out the paper and was told that was all they needed ,.my application showed approved but I have yet received anything a couple weeks ago it said it was being reviewed by the clerk , now it says application under review, so I don’t know what it means. I know the money would be very helpful.

  34. Carolyn Brown on February 5th, 2021 4:28 pm

    I applied for the cares act grant and never received any information back of my status.

  35. Theressa A Bonner on February 5th, 2021 2:26 pm

    To whom it may concern I put my application in 2020 of September haven’t heard anyting and I don’t think it’s fair that some people get it and some don’t I wasn’t notified that I needed more information on my application no email no text no nothing and when I went out to go find out it was the last day it was closed

  36. Stephanie Powell on February 5th, 2021 9:40 am

    I was approved ,but still yet to receive any assistance. I have tried to reach out and have had no luck. This has been since September 2020. I know of people who receive assistance and applied way after I did .please help. I have been unemployed since June. I just don’t understand how you seek the help, turn in all necessary paperwork and still get no where.

  37. Lance Holston on February 5th, 2021 9:33 am

    I am still waiting for someone to reach out to me I showed approved for almost 2 months and never received a check

  38. MR REALITY on February 5th, 2021 1:10 am

    So where do we draw the finish line on this?