Don’t Miss Out: Eligible Georgians Urged to Claim Their Share of Unclaimed Cash Assistance

Americans have been issued one-time payment checks worth up to $350 as part of a $1 billion pot; however, millions of the funds remain unclaimed. In the state of Georgia, $235 million in unclaimed funds remain due to problems with client IDs or individuals not being able to access their cards, based on a report by Marca on January 15, 2023.

The cash aid program, introduced by Governor Brian Kemp on September 20, was intended to help residents cope with the ongoing negative economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising inflation. In order to be eligible for the cash assistance, individuals must have been receiving Medicaid, PeachCare for Kids, SNAP, or TANF services as of July 31, 2022. However, those enrolled in more than one of these programs will only be eligible for a single financial aid payment, according to Georgia’s Department of Human Resources.

Eligibility can be checked at gateway.ga.gov on the “Check My Benefits—Case Selection” page. Other states have also announced similar cash assistance programs, such as Alexandria, Virginia, where residents will soon receive $500 checks through the ARISE program, while homeowners and renters in New Jersey have over a month left to claim one-time payments of $450 to $1,500, according to a report by The US Sun on January 16, 2023.

Additionally, the New Mexico Department of Human Services announced it is changing the way child support collections are distributed to help families during these tough times. Millions of Social Security recipients are also due to receive up to $4,555 in just a few days. The cash aid program is aimed at helping the vulnerable citizens of the state cope with the economic impact of the pandemic and inflation.