Escambia County to accept applications for family emergency financial grants

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. -- Escambia County will start accepting applications for the Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grants beginning Friday at 8 a.m.

Applications will be accepted through Tuesday.

Applications will be accepted online at myescambia.com/CARES and at several physical locations throughout the county.

The locations will be staffed for in-person application assistance during the grant application window:

• Beulah Senior Citizens Center, 7425 Woodside Drive (Open Friday, Sept. 25, from 1 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 27, from noon to 5 p.m.; and Monday, Sept. 28, and Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 1 to 8 p.m.)
• Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto St.
• Carver Park Resource Center, 208 Webb St.
• Century Branch Library, 7991 N. Century Blvd.
• Dorrie Miller Community Center, 2819 N. Miller St.
• Escambia County Extension Services, 3740 Stefani Road
• Gull Point Community Center, 7000 Spanish Trail
• Marie K. Young Wedgewood Community Center, 6405 Wagner Road
• Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95-A North
• Walnut Hill Community Center, 7850 Highway 97 North

Escambia County has allocated more than $3.5 million of CARES Act funding to provide grants of $2,000 each to families who have been impacted by COVID-19 and need of assistance. Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grants will be dispersed on a first-qualified, first-served basis.

Thursday morning, commissioners added another $6 million, for a total of $9.5 million.

To be eligible for the Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grant, applicants must:

• Be residents of Escambia County.
• Be a U.S. citizen or a permanent legal resident.
• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have a household income of $45,000 or less.
• Have been negatively impacted by COVID-19.

To apply for the Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grant, applicants will need to provide:

• Certification of COVID-19 impact
• Copy of a valid, state-issued ID
• Copy of Social Security card or other proof of a Social Security number
• Tax-Filers: Copy of the first page of their 2019 federal tax return (IRS form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ)
• Non-Tax Filers: Self-Certification letter stating why you did not file a 2019 Federal Income Tax Return and/or the type of income you received – Social Security Benefits (SSA, SSI/SSD), Railroad Retirement, Veterans Affairs Pension, Disability Benefits, etc.
• A completed W-9 form. Click here for the fillable W-9 Form.