Some good news: the Treasury Department says approximately 80 million Americans will receive their CARES Act stimulus payments this week. In fact, today my office heard from a veteran that has already received payment directly to his account. These payments will help families cover necessary expenses and put more money in consumers' pockets during this crisis. More information about the payments:
As a reminder: Social Security beneficiaries WILL receive payments and DO NOT need to take any action to receive them. T hey will receive the payments in the same way they receive their regular monthly benefits (direct deposit or check).
Individuals who do not file a tax return can use this tool to enter in the information necessary for them to receive payments.
The IRS will be launching a "Get My Payment" app this week that will enable you to check your payment status and enter in your bank account information to receive a direct deposit. I'll link to that in a future update when it goes live.
For information about who is eligible for the payments, how much to expect and what you need to do to ensure you receive it, visit the Economic Impact Payment Information Center on the IRS website.
The City of Wilmington has an extensive, updated FAQ document with answers to common questions residents may have, particularly about the city, state and county stay-at-home orders.
Brunswick County issued an update yesterday on the status of the outbreak in the county, residents can read it here.
An additional resource for our rural communities and farm families: USDA Secretary Sonny Purdue announced the launch of a one-stop-shop of federal programs and resources that can be used by rural communities, organizations and families impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. View the USDA Federal Rural Resource Guide here.
President Trump has announced that, as part of the FDA’s Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program (CTAP), 19 therapies and treatments are now being tested, and 26 more are in active planning for clinical trials.
An additional bit of good news: the FDA has authorized two companies to supply machines to sterilize N95 masks. The new approval will support decontamination of approximately 750,000 N95 respirators per day in the United States. This means more N95 respirators in the hands of our front line health care professionals that need them the most.
North Carolina 2-1-1 continues to provide critical information for people who need help with food, utilities and other needs. Thousands of calls are coming in, and the lines are sometimes busy. If you call 2-1-1 and get a busy signal, just wait a while and call back.
And here are the latest stats on the very popular Paycheck Protection Program: as of 10 a.m. this morning the U.S. Department of Treasury reported 1 million loans processed totaling $243 billion with 4,600 different lenders participating. You can access Treasury’s most updated FAQ page regarding the PPP program here.
For today's good news story, I want to highlight the Cape Fear Optimist Club, which has served over 300 meals to first responders that are continuing to serve our community through the duration of the outbreak. It's just one of many small non-profits, charities and other organizations that are pitching in to help where they can in this time of crisis.
