Camden County, New Jersey, is set to provide $1,000 checks to caregivers whose salaries were affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
The checks are part of a $1.2 million relief program that the county launched on Tuesday. The funds are for those employed in the direct personal care of children, adults, those with disabilities, and the elderly and whose income was disrupted during the pandemic.
“This pandemic has rocked every industry to its core, including the field of caregiving which is among the most thankless of jobs,” Commissioner Deputy Director Ed McDonnell said in a release. “Our hope is that these funds will provide some relief and support for those working these incredibly important and difficult jobs.”
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To be eligible for the program, caregivers must provide direct, hands-on assistance, such as functional living skills like feeding and toileting. They also must be employed in a low to moderate income position, such as caregiver, care attendant, and hospice aide, among others.
Caregivers applying for the checks must either live or work in Camden County and have evidence of working at least 500 hours from March 2020 to March 2022.
The specific workplace location requirement is flexible, allowing caregivers who work in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and independent living arrangements, among others, to be eligible.
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Rep. Donald Norcross applauded the county in a statement, stating he is proud to have helped pass the American Rescue Plan to make this relief program possible.
From the American Rescue Plan’s $1.9 trillion plan, New Jersey’s municipalities and counties received $3.6 billion in local fiscal recovery funds, per the state comptroller’s office. The funds may be used from March 3, 2021, until Dec. 31, 2024.
“Caregivers provide a critical service to our loved ones, and they have gone above and beyond to keep them safe during the pandemic,” Norcross said.
