As of last week, upwards of 28,000 Disney Parks Cast Members — at least quarter of whom work at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida — received layoff calls.
Now, Orange County, Florida Mayor Jerry Demings has provided details about new financial assistance that could help these now-unemployed Cast Members.
Related:Â FL Mayor Plans to Help Families Impacted by Disney Layoffs
In a COVID-19 update this afternoon, Mayor Demings announced the reopening of the CARES Program, which already assisted central Florida families with one round of $1,000 financial assistance payments. According to the mayor, CARES has already given “approximately $30 million to 30,000 households.”
Today’s announcement included these details about the second round of Orlando-area CARES Program funding:
“There is a pressing need to help those affected with rent and other household expenses…we will continue to offer dollars through our families in individual crisis assistance program.
We will continue to do that with another $30 million…one-time payment of $1,000 to households affected by COVID-19. Residents who have already received funding are not eligible for this round.”
Related: Orlando Mayor Says Disney Layoffs ‘Wasn’t Unexpected’
It is important to note that the second round of Orange CARES Program payments is not specific to Walt Disney World Cast Members. However, as long as these CMs, or anyone in their immediate households, did not apply for the first round of payments, they could qualify for this Orange County, FL financial assistance option.
Mayor Demings noted that there will be two dates for applications:
“…Monday, October 12 at 8 AM and Saturday, October 24 at 8 AM. Only one person per household can receive funding. Each portal opening date will close after 10,000 applications. Duplicate applications will be denied.”
He also stated that those who were denied for CARES funding the first time due to some sort of error could reapply as long as “discrepancies were resolved.”
Related:Â Disney Cast Member Helps Laid Off Employees Find New Work
If you are a Disney World Cast Member who has been laid off and you have questions about whether or not you will be eligible for an Orange CARES financial assistance check, visit the program’s official website.
Watch Mayor Demings’s full coronavirus pandemic update from today here: