Helping those most in need

MONTICELLO – Director of the Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless, Kathy Kreiter, announced at press conference on Wednesday August 4, a fund designated to help residents most affected by the pandemic.

New Yorkers who lost significant income because of the pandemic and were not eligible for unemployment or other federal relief benefits are now able to receive aid through the Excluded Workers Fund (EWF). This fund allocates benefits to those who earned less that $26,200 in the 12 months before April 2021 and who lost significant income between March 27, 2020 and April 1, 2021.

“If you lost 50 percent or more of your weekly work income because you lost your job, lost hours at your job, became unable to work because of illness from the virus, became responsible for your household because the head of household died or became disabled, or were not able to receive unemployment because of an issue with your immigration status, you may be eligible for a payment from New York State,” said Kreiter.

The New York State Department of Labor and the Federation for the Homeless contracted a one-time payment to those who qualify. This amount is designated into a two-tier system, dependent on the amount of work proof provided when these documents are submitted. Excluding taxes, tier one offers a payment of $15,600 while tier 2 gives $3,200 to those who need it.

“At the Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless, we are going to provide direct assistance for those seeking EWF benefits,” said Kreiter. “We will assist people in collecting and submitting their documents.”
Due to a multitude of circumstances, such as not having access to a phone, the Internet, or devices that scan documents, the Federation for the Homeless is offering aid to those who want to apply but may not have the means of doing so. Kreiter encouraged those who are seeking aid to contact the Federation’s Case Manager Ruby Ehlers.

The documents required for these benefits will only be used to prove an applicant’s identity, status as a New York resident, and information about their work history. The Federation for the Homeless promises to not share this information unless required by law.

Applications are available starting this month. For more information, call Ehlers at 845-794-2604 or visit the Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless at 9 Monticello St. in Monticello.