Denver families negatively impacted by COVID can apply for Basic Cash Assistance Program
Families in Denver who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 can apply for the city's Basic Cash Assistance for Households Program. The application process opens on Sept. 12.
The Basic Cash Assistance for Households Program is an initiative aimed at helping eligible Denver families who have been disproportionally and negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Some of those needs, really were basic needs, from folks who had been impacted by COVID-19 and the pandemic, but also its aftermath; some of those basic needs range from housing to food, transportation, childcare, paying utilities," said Atim Otii, director of the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.
Additional Information from the City County of Denver:
The one-time, direct cash assistance of $1,000 or $1,500 from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Fund, will be distributed to Denver residents who have been impacted by the pandemic and who meet the following criteria:
• The applicant is the head of household, AND
• Not personally eligible for federally funded public benefits, AND
• Has at least one child under 18 years of age residing in their household, AND
• Lives in a qualified census tract, OR
• Has a child in their household eligible for one of the qualifying benefits programs such as Children's Health Insurance Program ("CHIP"), Free- and Reduced-Price Lunch ("NSLP") and/or School Breakfast ("SBP") programs, or Head Start, OR
• Has experienced housing insecurity.
To qualify for an additional $500 in assistance, eligible applicants must either 1) Live in a census tract where 50 percent of households have incomes below 40 percent average median income or 2) Have at least two or more children in their household.
Families that are interested and meet the criteria can apply through our trusted community partners, who will conduct outreach in their respective communities. These community-based organization partners who work closely with and serve many of those families that might be eligible for this cash assistance program, are currently undergoing training in this process. For more details, our community members are encouraged to visit: https://impactcharitable.org/bcah/.
