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Manatee CARES Assistance Program will be lottery-style

The county said it will disburse emergency funds to people who need help with rent, mortgage and utility bills.

MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Some help is on the way for people who are struggling financially in Manatee County during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Starting June 10 and lasting through June 12, people who live in the county and need help paying their rent, utilities or mortgages can apply for emergency funds through the Manatee CARES Assistance Program. 

The County recently received about $1.3 million from the federal Housing and Urban Development Department and State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) program to help people with financial hardships as a result of coronavirus and its economic impacts. 

The county said it will disburse those funds for help with rent, mortgage, and utility bills, as long as those expenses have not already been paid by insurance or another assistance program. The funding is available to Manatee County residents who have lost their job or lost significant income due to COVID-19. 

People who apply could get up to $1,500 a month for as long as three months in most cases. 

The application window will open Wednesday, June 10 at 9 a.m. and close promptly at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 12. Applications can be found here.

The county said since it is expecting thousands of people to apply, there will be a lottery-style drawing on June 16 to randomly select the people whose applications will be reviewed first. 

Anyone who applied and was not selected for staff-review in the lottery style drawing will be notified by June 18.

More information can be found online.

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