Florida files for unemployment assistance from FEMA, joining more than 30 other states

Florida files for unemployment assistance from FEMA, joining more than 30 other states

FLOODING ..

NEVER TRY TO DRIVETHROUGH STANDING WATER.THIS COULD GIVE YOU A BOOST IFYOU’RE STRUGGLING ONUNEMPLOYMENT ... FLORIDA ISAPPLYING FOR FEMA DISASTER FUNDS..

TO GET YOU ADDITIONAL 300DOLLARS A MONTH.

WFTX REPORTERROB MANCH SPOKE WITH A WOMANWHO’S BEEN UNEMPLOYED SINCEMARCH AND AN ACTIVIST WHO SAYSTHE GOVERNOR STILL HASN’T DONEENOUGH TO HELP FLORIDA FAMILIESWHO ARE STRUGGLING.(02-07)(15-20)(37-42)(1:19-1:27)TODAY, I SPOKE WITH BONNIEARMSTRONG.HER RESTAURANT CLOSED ALL THEWAY BACK IN MARCH, AND SHE’SBEEN ON FURLOUGH SINCE THEN.AND FOR THE LAST 5 MONTHS, HERPRIMARY JOB HAS BECOME FIGHTINGWITH THE STATE UNEMPLOYMENTSYSTEM.PKG:BACK IN APRIL, ARMSTRONGORGANIZED THIS PROTEST INNAPLES, BECAUSE SHE AND MANYOTHERS WEREN’T RECEIVING ANYUNEMPLOYMENT PAYMENTS.SHE FINALLY GOT THEM IN MAY, BUTTHEN AT THE END OF LAST MONTH,THE EXTRA 600 DOLLARS FROM THEFEDERAL GOVERNMENT DISAPPEARED,LEAVING HER WITH ONLY 275 AWEEK.BONNIE ARMSTRONG, BEENUNEMPLOYED SINCE MARCH: "THAT’S$1,100 A MONTH.

MY RENT IS$1,275, SO FORTUNATELY I HAVESOME SAVINGS, BUT IT’SDWINDLING."(11S)ARMSTRONG POSTED A PICTURE OFHER BILLS TO TWITTER, SHOWINGSHE’S LOSING MORE THAN 800DOLLARS A MONTH.BUT SAYS, SHE’S ONE OF THE LUCKYONES.BONNIE ARMSTRONG, BEENUNEMPLOYED SINCE MARCH: "I HAVEA FRIEND, SHE’S GETTING $71 AWEEK.

I MEAN HOW, AND SHE’S GOT6 KIDS, SO HOW CAN SOMEBODY LIVEON THAT?"(9S)SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THEPANDEMIC, MORE THAN 3.7 MILLIONPEOPLE IN FLORIDA HAVE FILED FORUNEMPLOYMENT.I SPOKE WITH ACTIVIST VANESSABRITO WHO TRAVELED TOTALLAHASSEE WEDNESDAY TO DELIVERA LIST OF PEOPLE TO THEDEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICOPPORTUNITY WHO STILL HAVEN’TBEEN PAID.VANESSA BRITO, UNEMPLOYMENTACTIVIST: "I GAVE THEM A LIST OF5,500 PEOPLE AND I WAS ABLE TOGIVE THEM AN IDEA OF, THESE ARETHE FOLKS THAT YOU’VE EMAILED,BUT YOU REALLY HAVEN’T PROVIDEDANY CONCRETE ANSWERS OR NEXTSTEPS FOR THEM."(13S)FOR BRITO AND BONNIE ARMSTRONG,THE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM GOVERNORDESANTIS’ OFFICE THAT IT WASAPPLYING FOR FEMA FUNDS WAS LONGOVERDUE.MORE THAN 32 STATES ARE ALREADYRECEIVING MONEY, ACCORDING TOFEMA’S WEBSITE.BRITO SAYS, IN ADDITION TOHELPING APPLICANTS, SHE’S FILINGA LEGAL PETITION TO TRY TOCHANGE FLORIDA LAW TO BE ABLE TOREMOVE STATE OFFICIALS.VANESSA BRITO, UNEMPLOYMENTACTIVIST: "IF AND WHEN WE GETTHOSE SIGNATURES, THAT IS GOINGTO SEND A MESSAGE THAT HE, ASWELL AS OTHER STATE OFFICIALSARE ABSOLUTELY 100% ACCOUNTABLE,AS THEY SHOULD BE."(10S)BONNIE ARMSTRONG, BEENUNEMPLOYED SINCE MARCH: "I VOTEDFOR HIM, AND THE WAY HE HASHANDLED THIS WHOLE UNEMPLOYMENTFIASCO HAS TOTALLY CHANGED MYMIND."ARMSTRONG SAYS SHE HOPES TO BEBACK TO WORK BY OCTOBER, WHENTHE SNOW BIRDS COME BACK.SHE’S GLAD SHE’LL LIKELY HAVE ALITTLE MORE HELP BY THEN.BONNIE ARMSTRONG, BEENUNEMPLOYED SINCE MARCH: "I’MHOPEFUL.

I HAVE TO BE HOPEFUL,OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE GIVEN UPA LONG TIME AGO."(6S)TAG:AND THAT PETITION THAT BRITO ISFILING HAS TO COLLECT HUNDREDSOF THOUSANDS OF SIGNATURES.IF APPROVED, IT WILL APPEAR ON ABALLOT SOMETIME NEXT YEAR.THEN, IF IT PASSES, BRITO SAYSSHE PLANS TO IMMEDIATELY FILE APETITION TO HAVE GOVERNORDESANTIS REMOVED FROM OFFICE.ARMSTRONG SAYS SHE PLANS