Funds now available for Seattle immigrants shut out of federal COVID-19 relief aid!

The Seattle COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund for Immigrants-

This program offers a one-time payment of $1,000 to each immigrant adult applicant and up to $3,000 for families with children. Applicants must live in or attend school in or work within the Seattle city boundaries. And you must also be low-income and have been ineligible for federal CARES Act Economic Impact Payments because of immigration status.

The review process is NOT first-come, first-served. To support those with the most need, the program is prioritizing applicants based on a set of vulnerability criteria. However, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. The application period is open for three weeks, from Thursday, October 15, 2020, 9:00 p.m. to November 5, 2020, 11:59 p.m.

Individuals and families can apply here: seattlecovidfund.org. You can also find information translated into seven languages at this page.

If you need assistance applying, 20 organizations are available to help applicants over the phone in 41 languages! You can find their contact information here.

The nonprofit organization Scholarship Junkies (SJ) will be administering the online application process. They already have deep experience from helping manage the logistics for the grassroots COVID-19 Relief Fund for Undocumented Individuals in Washington State in partnership with the undocumented youth-led Washington Dream Coalition.

This funding is a part of a joint $45 million COVID-19 relief package announced by Mayor Jenny A. Durkan, Council President M. Lorena González, Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, and Councilmember Tammy Morales in August of this year. Of this package, OIRA received $9 million in new funding from the City’s general fund. Researchers estimate Seattle’s impacted immigrant population at around 150,000 people, including children.

Please help us inform community members about the Seattle COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund for Immigrants!

You can share our translated social media images with community members (scroll to the bottom of the post).