Denver City Wire

DENVER– The Denver Agency for Human Rights & Community Partnerships and its Denver Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs thank the City and County of Denver Council Members for approving the proposed Basic Cash Assistance Program that will help provide eligible Denver families with a one-time, direct cash assistance of $1,000 or $1,500 from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds.

Based on the continued needs identified once the Denver Left Behind Worker's Fund Program ended, this new program – in partnership with the nonprofit organization, Impact Charitable – aims to provide additional one-time support to Denver residents who can demonstrate they have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic or its aftermath.

Further, Denver residents who have been impacted by the pandemic can apply for a one-time $1,000 direct cash assistance payment only if they 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.

“HRCP's Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs works closely with nonprofits, community-based organizations, residents, and government agencies to provide support to and develop policies, practices, and programs that influence the various paths of immigrant integration,” said the office’s Director, Atim Otii. “We thank City Council, and we are happy to establish the cash assistance program to help reduce the financial instability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and support families in meeting basic needs required for Denver families to thrive.”

Next steps will involve training for our community-based partners who will assist with community outreach and screenings of potential applicants. It is projected that these trusted community organizations will begin directly reaching out to the communities they serve, as well as conducting in-person screenings by mid-August. For more information on eligibility and this program, please visit our Denver Basic Cash Assistance Program page.

About HRCP’s Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs: The Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs partners with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as with nonprofits, community-based organizations, and residents, to develop and implement policies, practices and programs that influence the various paths of immigrant integration. 

About the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA): Denver’s plan for recovery includes direct distribution of $308 million in ARPA Local Relief Funds. Denver solicited and received feedback from over 12,000 residents, Denver City Council, city agencies, the Mayor’s Stimulus Advisory Committee, and the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Council to inform the use of the city’s first round of ARPA funds. Federal law requires distribution of the funds by 2026. 

Original source can be found here