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Garcetti Announces Prepaid Debit Card Program For Low-Income Angelenos Struggling In Wake Of Coronavirus Pandemic

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Low-income residents of Los Angeles and those with incomes negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic will soon have another opportunity for financial relief through the city's Angeleno Fund.

Starting Tuesday, those who meet the requirements can begin applying for the Angeleno Card program, which will provide debit cards with $700-$1,500 for residents with incomes below the poverty line prior to the Safer at Home orders and those who have fallen into "deeper" hardship" due to reduced work hours or have had their incomes cut by at least 50%.

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People can apply for the debit cards online or by calling 213-252-3040 starting at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Applications will only be accepted from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday.

Mayor Eric Garcetti said people who are already beneficiaries of federal and state assistance can still qualify as long as they meet the program's income requirements. He also said cards would be available to people regardless of their citizenship status.

"We are all Angelenos and I hope that our federal government will listen to that too," Garcetti said. "Those who are cleaning our hospitals, those who are picking our food, those who are working in our warehouses, it doesn't matter what their legal status is today. They are here as Angelenos and we will help them no matter what."

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Those who apply and do not receive a card will be placed on a waiting list, Garcetti said.

The no-fee debit cards are being provided through the mayor's Angeleno Fund in connection with the Accelerator for America, co-founded by Garcetti, in partnership with Mastercard.

Gift cards financed by the Angeleno Fund for those in need of groceries were made available last week and were gone within four days, Garcetti said.

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