Months after the stimulus program began, Arizonans still cannot get their money. Not only that, they cannot get any answers about how to get it.
The Let Joe Know team spoke to Allen Gjersvig with the Arizona Alliance of Community Health Centers. He thinks his organization can help some of these people get their checks.
Gjersvig cited a recent report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. That report suggested, based on Census data, 200,000 lower income Arizonans could still be waiting for stimulus money. Their incomes are low enough that they do not have to file taxes. That could mean the government may not have their bank account or other information.
Gjersvig's organization typically works with lower income Arizonans to find free or low-cost healthcare and food assistance. He explained that sometimes people do not have access to good digital communication, so they cannot give the government what may be needed.
Because of that, Gjersvig says, his and other non-profits decided to help the people they were already serving to get the money they are owed by the government.
"Our people are very able to use online formats. We can offer it in many languages and almost everyone is bilingual," Gjersvig said.
The staff are also able to guide people through the process step by step. In some cases, Gjersvig said, they can meet with people at one of their statewide offices. They can also help people who lost job apply for new low-cost or free insurance. He says while the healthcare marketplace enrollment is over, it does open for people who have lost insurance.
However, people will need to act fast because you only have 60 days to do it.
If interested, you can to go their website, coveraz.org
or call them at 800-377-3536 to get started.
