Montgomery County will begin distributing grants for food relief and essentials to low-income residents from its $6 million Emergency Assistance Relief Payment program this week.
Eligible individuals and families must have incomes of less than 50% of the federal poverty level and be ineligible for federal and state aid.
Household incomes that are 50% of the federal poverty level are:
● Single adults: $6,380
● Two people: $8,620
● Three people: $10,860
● Four people: $13,100
● Five people: $15,340
According to a press release Monday, the first recipients ¬— about 1,300 families accessing services by the county’s Care for Kids program — will begin receiving $1,000 for a family with one child. An extra $150 will be provided for each additional child.
Each family can get a maximum of $1,450.
Care for Kids provides primary health care services to children in the county who do not qualify for state and federal health care programs.
Of the $6 million, $2.5 million will be distributed by the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, or DHHS, and another $2.5 million will be distributed by nonprofits.
The remaining $1 million will go to DHHS to distribute for safety net programs, such as for the homeless, according to county spokeswoman Julie Parker.
During a second phase of the program, the county and nonprofits will identify additional families and individuals eligible to receive the assistance.
Individuals are eligible for $500. A couple with no children is eligible for $850.
According to the release, there will be a third phase for people to apply for the funds, as well. Information on applications will be announced this week. They are expected to open before the end of May.
During the second and third phases, it will take about four days for an application to be approved and an additional four days to receive money.
Questions about the program can be addressed by calling MC311.
MC311 can be reached by calling 311 in the county or at 240-777-0311; or at 711 for Maryland Relay TTY, from anywhere, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Briana Adhikusuma can be reached at briana.adhikusuma@moco360.media.
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