Mount Vernon's 'Level Up' program offers qualified residents $500 a month
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. - Two hundred area households will be getting a monthly boost to help make ends meet: $500 a month for a year.
CBS2's Tony Aiello has more on the suburb using federal money to put cash in residents' pocket.
It's a significant infusion of money into Mount Vernon.
Russell Coleman Richards hopes to be one of the lucky recipients of $6,000 over the course of a year.
"Right now money is scarce. What're you going to do if they say they're going to shut the water off, or they're going to mess with your payment on the house? What are you gonna do?" Richards said.
Median household income in Westchester County is $100,000. In Mount Vernon, it's 40% lower, at $60,000.
"Really if people have just one emergency a month. it can cause them to lose their apartment. It can cause them to not be able to pay utility bills," said Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard.
The mayor says residents can apply online starting Wednesday. Those who meet income guidelines will be entered in a lottery.
Dennis Hanratty is with Mount Vernon United Tenants, a group that will help people apply.
"Any infusion of cash in our community is well-needed and well-received," Hanratty said.
The mayor says recipients will be free to spend the money as they wish, on basics like food, or extras to boost spirits.
"If you need to take your kids out to dinner, need to go to Great Adventure, need to take a little vacation so that you can continue to find the strength to get up and go to work every day in very trying times and situations, absolutely," Mayor Patterson-Howard said.
Mount Vernon received $41 million in pandemic relief money from Washington. It's using $1.2 million to fund this program, helping residents at a time of high inflation and much economic anxiety.
Applications are available by CLICKING HERE.
Depending on household size, residents making up to $80,000 can qualify for this one-year cash assistance program.