$400 to $1000 emergency relief money to help undocumented immigrants in New York City !
Photo Niyi Fote /Thenews2
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect everyone economically and especially undocumented immigrants in New York City,Open Society Foundation; in partnership with the New York City government, gave out a donation of $20 million to help about 20,000 immigrants with direct one time emergency relief.
The Mayor of New York City,Bill de Blasio announced about this New York City Covid-19 immigrant emergency relief program with open society foundation on April 16. He said “reaffirming the City’s commitment to ensure all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, are included in citywide COVID-19 response and relief efforts. This $20 million donation marks an essential step to provide emergency monetary relief to immigrant workers and their families, who have largely been excluded from federal COVID-19 relief programs.”
According to the Mayor, “Immigrants are the heart of this City – they are our friends, neighbors and colleagues,” and so,it is very important to ensure that all New Yorkers, regardless of their documentation status, can get the support they need .
Initially,the relief will reach up to 20,000 undocumented workers and their families who are affected by COVID-19 related job loss and facing financial distress. The citywide network of community based organizations and worker centers will disseminate one-time emergency relief payments to eligible New Yorkers in the following amounts:
- $400/individual
- $800 for couple or single parent with children
- $1,000 for family with multiple adults and children
- And/or where identified increased additional supports.
“These low-wage workers are those who stock our grocery shelves, harvest and deliver our food, staff society’s essential services. These essential workers are also the people with the least access to services and benefits, many of them beyond the reach of the government’s stimulus package. The Open Society Foundations is proud to support NYC and its partner organizations, including National Domestic Workers Alliance, to provide direct relief to these workers, who are literally holding up our society right now, and hope that policymakers going forward will address the structural inequalities they live with every day,” said Patrick Gaspard, President of the Open Society Foundations.
Despite the fact that the information of the immigrant emergency relief program with open society foundation is on the site of www1.nyc.gov, some undocumented immigrants are having problems to find a link to help them get this relief fund.
So, I was able to get in touch with the necessary people both in the New York City government and open society foundation ..
Even by clicking on nyc.gov/311, then Covid-19 resources and support and after immigrant community on the site,you still can’t find any link to the relief program.
According to the last email reply from open society foundation, it says,they are not the ones directly distributing the money in any way.The Mayor’s Fund and MOIA will work with a network of CBOs, including worker centers, who have existing ties and the ability to quickly reach immigrant New Yorkers in the target population to screen them for eligibility and connect them with relief. To support the distribution of relief funds, the network will also partner with a third-party organization that will process and mail gift cards to relief fund recipients. The Mayor’s Fund and MOIA, with OSF, will move quickly to finalize partner CBOs and payment provider in coming days.
Therefore,the best way is to wait and if possible keep checking the nyc site for more information or call 311.
By Niyi Fote /Thenews2
