$500 Direct Cash Assistance Program

Eligibility Requirements

1. City Residency

You must be a City of St. Louis resident. Confirm that you live in St. Louis City by checking to see if your address is within the city limits.

2. Income Threshold

You must earn at or under 80% of the Area Median Income (see table below).

“Household” refers to one physical address. Households will be eligible for only ONE payment, even if the residents of the household are not related to one another.

3. Loss of Income

You must have suffered lost income due to the COVID-19 crisis, for reasons including but not limited to:

• Cut hours
• Job loss
• Funeral expenses
• Treatment costs

Required Documentation

Proof of Residency

To prove City of St. Louis residency, you must provide:

1. Valid State ID / Driver’s License indicating St. Louis City residency

AND

2. At least one of the following documents:
   • Lease agreement/Rent receipt
   • Personal Property Tax Statement
   • Auto registration
   • Utility Bills with the account number
   • Tax Return Transcript
   • Bank statement
   • Letter from the government/court
   • Statement of government benefits

• At least one of the following income verification documents for the applicant
  • 2 check stubs less than 90 days old
  • Pension letter
  • Government benefits
    • Current SSI/SSDI award letter
    • Unemployment letter or notification
    • WIC Benefit letter
    • SNAP/Food Stamps award letter
  • If any adult in the home is self-employed they must provide one of the following
    • Most recent tax returns
• Employment status and monthly income information for ALL adults living in the home

Proof of Income

At the time of application, your household must meet the 80% or below Area Median Income threshold.

• 2 check stubs
• Pension letter
• Verification of Government Benefits
• Current SSI/SSD Award Letter
• Proof of Unemployment
• WIC benefit letter
• SNAP benefit letter

If you are self-employed, provide:

• Most recent tax return, 1099, bank statements or profit and loss statement to show income

If you claim no income, provide:

• Federal income verification
• Agency attestation for zero income is acceptable for unhoused residents and undocumented individuals

Ways to Apply

Payment Methods

Funds are distributed using MoCaFi Immediate Response Cards. If your application is approved, you may choose to receive the payment electronically or through the mail.

By mail: a Debit Mastercard will arrive in the mail 10-15 days from application approval. The card can be used anywhere Debit Mastercard is accepted. Instructions on how to activate the card will be provided with the card.

Electronically: 24-48 hours following application approval, a text message with instructions will be sent to the cell phone number provided in the application.

To receive your electronic payment or to check the balance on your card, you will need the MoCaFi IRC app on your iPhone or Android phone.

Contact

Common Questions

• When will the portal reopen?
  Applications are currently paused while processing teams review applicants and analyze results. The City will keep the public informed on any reopening of the application portal.
• The City announced in-person clinics for help. Are those canceled?
  Due to incredible interest and the volume of applicants, applications have been paused. The City will keep the public informed on any reopening of the application portal as well as future in-person events.
• I applied for payments. When can I expect to receive it?
  If your application is approved, our teams are working as quickly as possible to adhere to the timeline of 10-15 days for distribution after an application is processed and approved. Please take into account holiday staffing and postage turnaround times. We ask for patience during this process.
• I applied. How will I know if I am approved for the assistance?
  You will receive an email that your application has been approved or denied.
• What if my application is incomplete?
  Incomplete applications will not be eligible for processing. If you have submitted an incomplete application, you will be reached out when your application is reviewed. If you need to fix or update information provided, email DCAHelp@stl.unitedway.org. Do NOT email that address for updates on your application.
• Why is this assistance available?
  The COVID-19 pandemic has created a financial hardship for many residents across the City of St. Louis. Direct payments are just one way the City is looking to support families in need of help.
• What qualifies as a “household?”
  “Household” refers to one physical address. Households will be eligible for only ONE payment.
• I live with my entire family in one household?
  Your household would be eligible for only ONE direct payment.