Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a privately funded campaign Monday to help impoverished Angelenos who may be facing at least one more month of the lost income by supplying them with free, prepaid debit cards.
What We Know:
- The no-fee debit card is available to city residents whose total household income fell below the federal poverty line before the COVID-19 crisis began and who had their income reduced by at least another 50% due to the outbreak.
- Assistance from the federal government isn’t enough and won’t reach enough residents, Garcetti said in his daily coronavirus address Monday night. All households must be within the city of Los Angeles to be eligible for the card.
“Applicants will not be asked anything about their immigration status. We are all Angelenos.” – Mayor Eric Garcetti
- Applications must be filled out between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday at https://hcidla.lacity.org/ or by calling 213-252-3040. The hours apply to both phone and online applications, the mayor advised.
- The website, which was working early Tuesday morning, appeared to face traffic overload later in the day and was not performing for many users. “We’re looking into it getting the website up again. Folks can check back later – there is no advantage to applying early,” the mayor’s spokeswoman Andrea Garcia said Tuesday.
- The program is a partnership between Mastercard’s City Possible network and the nonprofit Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles. It is not a city program nor funded by taxes.
- The number of people who will be helped will depend on donations, the mayor said, adding that he had contributed to the fund.
To donate to the “Angeleno Campaign” program, visit https://mayorsfundla.org/angeleno/.
