Hardship payments along the way
WINDOW ROCK
Additional hardship assistance payments from CARES to the elderly are in progress and the application for hardship assistance from the US bailout is now available.
People age 60 and older who previously received Navajo CARES Act hardship assistance payments can expect to receive an additional check for $342 in the mail by next week.
The Council of the Navajo Nation resolution (CD-61-21), sponsored by Delegate Eugene Tso and signed by President Jonathan Nez on Dec. 20, reallocated the remaining, unspent $16.5 million from CARES Act hardship assistance to seniors by December 31, 2021. , due to the impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“We love and cherish our elders very much,” Nez said. “This pandemic has created many challenges for everyone, especially for our elderly parents and grandparents.”
Those who turned 60 after their CARES Act Hardship application was approved will also receive the $342 payment if they turned 60 before December 31, 2021.
“Navajo Nation leaders and health officials strongly urge recipients to use the funds for essential items such as food, utilities, firewood, PPE…,” the office said. Of the president. “They also urge everyone to be aware of the risks associated with COVID-19 and to exercise extreme caution in public.”
On Monday, the comptroller’s office began processing and sending alumni checks in daily batches due to the large number of recipients.
“We have to remember that we are in the midst of a sharp increase in COVID-19 infections here in the Navajo Nation due to the Omicron variant,” Nez said.
He urged people not to overload post offices, banks and other businesses in border towns where Omicron is prevalent.
“Please be very careful and do your best to stay home as much as possible,” Nez said.
ARPA Hardship Request
Separately, the Council and then the President approved the resolution (CD-62-21) which appropriated $557 million in ARPA funds for hardship payments to Navajo Citizens of $2,000 for adults and $600 for children. who are enrolled members of the Navajo Tribe.
The ARPA Hardship application period opened on Monday, January 10, and the application can be viewed on the Comptroller’s Office website (www.nnooc.org and www.Navajonationarpa.org).
Candidates have 12 months to apply before the end of the application period on December 30.
“We have listened to the stories and experiences shared by our people and understand that there are many needs within homes and among families,” Nez said. “We strongly encourage our employees to use the funds to provide financial assistance and help your loved ones defeat this modern-day monster known as COVID-19. »
Individuals who received CARES Act Hardship payments last year do not need to reapply for ARPA Hardship because they automatically qualify.
Dines age 60 or older who received CARES Act Hardship payments will receive both the check for $342 through the CARES Act and $2,000 through ARPA, for a total of $2,342.
Anyone who has not applied for the previous CARES Act Hardship payment should apply for the ARPA payment.
All new applicants must submit an Indian Blood Certificate to comply with federal guidelines. No other ID is required.
Those who live off-reserve and are registered members with a CIB are eligible for ARPA Hardship Assistance.
Eligible tribal members in prison can also apply.
Minors who turned 18 on or before January 4, 2022, when the ARPA Hardship Resolution was enacted, are eligible as adults to receive $2,000.
If you do not have a CIB, you can apply for one from the Navajo Nation Vital Records Office (www.novri.navajo-nsn.gov).
In its FAQ sheet (www.opvp.navajo-nsn.gov), the president’s office said the comptroller’s office would issue the ARPA Hardship payments “as soon as possible.”
“Our goal is to start issuing checks in early February,” Acting Comptroller Elizabeth Begay said at a town hall on Friday.
Report changes
If you have questions about your previous application for the CARES Act Hardship program, contact the Comptroller’s Office or simply submit a new ARPA application.
Technical assistance for the Hardship application and CIB registration will be offered by the Comptroller’s Office and the Vital Statistics Office nationwide and in urban areas including Phoenix, Albuquerque, Denver, Salt Lake City and Tucson. The schedule is being developed and will be shared with the public.
If you have received a CARES Act Hardship payment and your mailing address has changed, a “change of address form” is available at www.nnooc.org or www.navajonationarpa.org.
Begay said it’s important to update addresses as needed so that checks are sent to the correct address.
Completed Address Change Forms and Hardship Requests may be submitted to [email protected] or mailed to: Office of the Controller, PO Box 3150, Window Rock, AZ 86515.
Or, you can drop off the form at Administration Building #1 in Window Rock. All COVID-19 safety protocols will be applied.
Families of people who previously received CARES Act Hardship payments and have since died can report this information to the Comptroller’s Office and the Vital Statistics Office.
Uncashed funds may be applied to funeral expenses, but checks for deceased persons cannot be reissued to another person.
For further information: [email protected] or 928-871-6106, 928-871-6315, 928-223-3525, 928-224-8148, 928-224-8187, 928-224-8212, 928-371-9226, 928-223-3709 or 928-223-3712.