Emergency rental assistance program opens Monday in Chatham Co.
Chatham Co. receives $8.7 million grant for rental assistance program By Mariah Congedo | January 29, 2021 at 1:56 PM EST - Updated February 1 at 9:57 AM
CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - More help is on the way for families struggling to pay rent and utilities.
For months, Chatham County and various organizations have stepped up to assist people who are impacted by the pandemic. The Chatham County Commission announced Friday that they will receive an $8.7 million grant to help people, who are eligible, financially stay afloat.
Board officials say the grant will first go toward helping people who are at risk of eviction. Folks can also qualify if they make less than 50 percent of the median household income for their city, or who are currently unemployed and who have been unemployed for 90 days prior to applying for assistance.
Savannah Morning News
Editor s note: This article has been updated to reflect that Memorial began vaccinating some seniors on Monday.
Chatham s two big hospital systems are among the top local recipients of the COVID-19 vaccines, with Memorial receiving a cumulative 12,750 doses and St. Joseph s/Candler receiving 13,375, according to data posted Wednesday by the Georgia Department of Public Health.
But St. Joseph s/Candler began vaccinating its 65-and-older a week earlier than Memorial and has done so with a proactive program that reaches out to patients.
Each system first focused on distributing the vaccine to its own healthcare workers, beginning in mid-December. St. Joseph s/Candler also handled vaccinations for local first responders, including police and fire, and Memorial provided vaccines to other healthcare workers, including Georgia Southern University student nurses.
Savannah and Chatham County officials encourage COVID-19 vaccination efforts connectsavannah.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from connectsavannah.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The COVID vaccine rollout in coastal Georgia has been a hurry up and wait affair for most seniors.
Shirley Chester, 70, is a good example. The Savannah resident began calling the health department to schedule a vaccine appointment the minute she learned she could. She phoned for hours without getting through. When she finally did reach a human, she was only able to give her name and number and told to wait for a call back.
She broke down and cried in frustration.
But on Friday, the health department called her back. Could she come right away and get her shot? She sure could. Her brother drove her to the main building on Eisenhower Drive.