LEE COUNTY — Lee County is getting ready to give out $45 million in financial aid to families in need.
This is the second round of distribution of the $134 million in CARES Act money the county received back in May.
We caught up with Marissa Stafford, who applied on the first day funding was available on May 26th. Back then, she saw the CARES Act money as her only option to make her rent.
“$2,000 would definitely put a nice chunk in what I do owe," said Stafford at the time.
Today, Stafford is still unemployed, and she's planning to apply again. This time, the benefits have been increased to $3,000 for individuals.
“That would pay a little over two months of my rent for me, so that would be fantastic. That would be one less things I’m struggling, sitting here worrying about trying to pay," said Stafford.
County commissioner Brian Hamman says the increase could help people like Stafford, who just saw her federal unemployment benefits expire.
“There are some of the programs that are going away, and this is turning out to last a lot longer than many people though it would back in March," said Hamman.
But that increase in benefits wasn’t just out of the goodness of the county's heart. It needs to use the money by the end of the year.
“At the current rate that we’re awarding applications right now, we’re not going to get it all expended by then," said Hamman.
So once again, Stafford says she plans to apply for the aid on August 17th, the first day it becomes available. She also hopes to soon find a job that can give her a permanent solution to her financial problems.
“It’s sad, because you work so hard to get somewhere in life, and you know life’s not fair, but this was definitely a whole new not fair," said Stafford.
