Local Extension Office available to assist citizens through COVID-19 assistance program application processes

At the sixth weekly briefing of the Joint County-Town COVID-19 Emergency Management Team, County Director of Emergency Management and Board of Supervisors Chairman Walter Mabe was joined by County Deputy Emergency Coordinator Rick Farrall and Virginia Cooperative Extension Services Senior Extension Agent Karen Poff.

Senior Extension Agent Karen Poff, left, and County Director of Emergency Management Walter Mabe. Poff presented information many of us may need in seeking assistance and budgeting for uncertain financial times. Royal Examiner Photos/Roger Bianchini – Royal Examiner Video/Mark Williams – Royal Examiner Audio/Mike McCool

At the Thursday afternoon, April 30, roundtable discussion Farrall gave an update on the Governor’s “Forward Virginia Blueprint” plans; reviewed new COVID-19 pandemic statistics throughout our Lord Fairfax Health District and the Commonwealth of Virginia, as well as information being assembled thought the University of Virginia’s “Vital Complexity” website.

As usual, Chairman Mabe opened the briefing by urging citizens to continue to observe social distancing and other pandemic response safety guidelines and to be proactive in protecting, not only themselves and their families, but neighbors who may need a helping hand in staying informed and supplied through pandemic supply shortages.

County Deputy Emergency Coordinator Rick Farrall takes the not round, round table with Mabe.

Mabe then first handed the floor to Poff who made a presentation on navigating the unfamiliar pandemic terrain as it applies to planning, spending, establishing financial priorities in uncertain financial times, and perhaps most timely, how and where to apply for assistance programs citizens may qualify for and not even realize it.

Poff used the phrase “CRUNCH” to introduce her very timely presentation, explaining the acronym stands for:
Consider immediate options;
Revise or create a spending plan;
Use all available resources (she’s there to help);
Narrow your priorities;
Contact your creditors;
Heed scam and loan warnings.

On that last one, Poff warned that there are numerous shady efforts to take advantage of the pandemic financial crisis to separate citizens from what resources they do have. Advise on that front included: Ignoring COVID-19 testing or treatment offers; avoiding loan offers you didn’t initiate; not clicking on links in text or email offers; hanging up on robocalls; and doing background research before donating money to anything.

Above, Poff PowerPoint summary page on assistance options; below, her warning page on avoiding myriad scams that have sprung up to take advantage of citizens during the pandemic crisis.

As for the often dizzying assistance application process, Poff concluded her presentation with her contact and related Virginia Cooperative Extension Office links where you can seek information and help in applying for COVID-19 assistance on multiple levels.

Watch this timely presentation from our Virginia Cooperative Extension Office, as well as Farrall’s updates on potential phased-in business re-openings over the next two months and Chairman Mabe’s comments in this exclusive Royal Examiner video: