Chicago is offering $500 cash payments to eligible city residents under a new assistance program and the deadline to apply for the current round of money is quickly approaching.
The one-time payments will be administered via a program called Chicago Resiliency Fund 2.0, which the city announced earlier this year and said "is aimed at providing cash assistance to Chicagoans who may have been left out of COVID-19 stimulus."
"The fund is intended to support residents who had difficult accessing and qualifying for federal relief payments in 2020, including COVID-19 Relief Funds," the city's website reads.
The current round of payments are geared toward residents with adult dependents or those who are caregivers for adults.
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Two organizations have been charged with taking applications: The Association House Chicago and the Chinese Mutual Aid Foundation.
Eligible residents will need to submit an online application and recipients will be selected via a lottery. The winners will need to show proof of eligibility. Only one application per household is allowed.
More than 4,000 winners are expected to be selected, according to the city.
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Applications are due by Dec. 9, but a second window will open in late December for undocumented residents and domestic workers, the city said.
So, are you eligible for the current round of assistance? Here are the requirements:
- You reside in the City of Chicago AND
- You are 18 years of age or older AND
- Your household income level falls at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
- You filed taxes in 2019 AND claimed a dependent 17 years or older
To determine whether your income meets the threshold for the program, here's a look at how much you can make based on the number of people in your household:
- $40,770
- $54,930
- $69,090
- $83,250
- $97,410
- $111,570
- $125,730
- $139,890
For those with more than eight people in their home, add $4,720 for each person in the household, the city says.
Earlier this year, Chicago launched a monthly assistance program for low-income families, but that program is different from the current one-time payment option.
The series of anti-poverty initiatives were announced by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's office in February. The mayor is seeking re-election next year.
More information and details on how to submit an application online can be found here.
