Applications to a COVID-19 relief fund for immigrants open tonight

The City of Seattle has officially launched its $9 million Seattle COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund for Immigrants, which helps vulnerable residents who have been both financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and neglected by the federal government.

The relief fund is currently open to Seattle area immigrants who live in, attend school in, or work within the Seattle city boundaries, meet income eligibility requirements, and were ineligible for federal CARES Act Economic Impact Payments.

Each eligible adult applicant filing for themselves is able to receive a one-time payment of $1,000, while applicants with children are eligible to receive a one-time payment of up to $3,000.

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As the application can only be completed online, 20 organizations have come together to help applicants over the phone who may need language assistance. In addition to English, the form is available in Amharic, Korean, Chinese (Simplified), Somali, Spanish, Tagalog/Filipino, and Vietnamese.

To support those with the most need, the program is prioritizing applicants based on a set of vulnerability criteria, rather than first come first served.

The application period runs for three weeks, from Thursday, October 15 from 5 pm to Thursday, November 5 at 11:59 pm. Those interested in applying can do so here: seattlecovidfund.com.