The Camden County Board of Commissioners announced in August that more than $1 million worth of funds have been made available for those employed in the direct personal care of the elderly, children and/or adults with disabilities whose wages have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eligible caregivers will receive $1,000 in relief funds for their hardships during this unprecedented time. This allocation has been part of $55 million in federal funds the Board of Commissioners has made available to different hard-hit sectors of the community, including more than $25 million alone in rental assistance, grants for nonprofit organizations and small businesses.
To be eligible for this program a caregiver must: provide hands-on, direct assistance including functional living skills and basic care needs, like feeding and toileting; perform a low- or moderate-income position including care attendant, caregiver, home health aide, hospice aide, institutional attendant and nurse aide; work in institutional settings (nursing homes & hospitals,) assisted living facilities, independent living arrangements, group residential homes, schools for individuals with special needs, adult and youth day programs and/or private homes.
Caregivers must also live in Camden County or provide caregiver services to a resident of Camden County, provide evidence of at least 500 hours of hands-on healthcare and/or essential day-to-day support to one or more elderly persons or children and/or adults with intellectual, physical, and developmental disabilities and brain injuries from March 1, 2020 through March 7, 2022, and provide a verifiable Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number to be eligible for Relief Funds under this Program, and complete IRS Form W-9 “Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification” as part of the application process.
Program applications have been available since mid-August in an easy-to-use digital format. For more information, visit: CamdenCountyCaregrant.com or call (856) 389-6704 anytime from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
Cherry Hill Township has the largest concentration of long-term care facilities in Camden County and will have a critical mass of employees eligible for the new program. Cherry Hill Township Mayor Susan Shin-Angulo talked about the importance of these new available funds for residents and employees. “Cherry Hill and our long-term care facilities were filled with courageous employees who were tireless advocates for their patients over the last two years and this initiative is the least we can do to show our appreciation,” Shin-Angulo said. “I want to thank the Camden County Board of Commissioners for their compassion and principles to this brave subset of employees who got many of our loved ones through the pandemic.”
Cherry Hill Township Mayor Susan Shin-Angulo