Angeleno Cards to be distributed to thousands in LA facing financial burdens due to COVID-19

LOS ANGELES - People hoping to get Angeleno Cards completed their first steps Wednesday toward receiving the money.

The cards are for families who were already living below the poverty line prior to the coronavirus outbreak. And had their income reduced by 50% due to the pandemic.

Today is the day that the first recipients of the card could bring the documents that prove they qualify for the program.

Angeleno cards are worth $700 to $1500, depending on the size of the household. Qualifying meant bringing documentation to one of 16 locations, by appointment. The organizers of the Mayors Fund LA need proof of residency in the city of LA, plus proof that the applicant lives at or below the poverty line as of March 13, and someone in the household lost 50% or more of income since the stay at home order.

Rick Jacobs, founder and board member of Mayors Fund LA, did not acknowledge anyone’s frustration with the process of applying or those who were disappointed they weren’t granted an Angeleno Card.

Jacobs said 450 thousand people applied for the debit card. Once people who did live in the city of LA were thrown out, then the recipients were chosen at random.

“It was a computer program that very simply, selected the first batch of people who were contacted by phone," he said. 

The 100% donor funded Angeleno Card has $10 million to give away to those in need. That money is pretty much gone. “We will start with 10 thousand we hope to do many many more,” said Jacobs.

The hope is that people will continue to donate to the fund, so that another round of Angeleno Cards can be distributed.

That would be welcome news for Trina Jones. The single mother of three tried to get her application in before the deadline but was met with a lot of frustration. She said, at this point, she doesn’t know if she’s in the Mayor’s Fund system. She wishes, she’d received some kind of notification about her status.

If you’d like to donate to the Mayor’s Fund LA click here.