Financial resources continue to be available to those needing assistance during the pandemic. The Division of Extension has compiled many of these resources into the Financial Resources to Help Get Through COVID-19 website at https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/toughtimes/covid-19-financial-resources/. This website has information on state and federal programs including unemployment assistance, rental assistance, utility assistance, and many other resources to help those in need.

The Wisconsin Department of Administration announced a new program using federal CARES Act funds to provide financial assistance for owed rent and security deposits for eligible households. Eligibility is determined by a documented income loss due to the pandemic. These WRAP (Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program) funds will be available to adult Wisconsin residents with household income at or below 80% of the county median income in the month of, or prior to, the application date. Any payments received, up to $3,000, will be paid directly to landlords or rental management companies. ADVOCAP is the administrator of this program in Winnebago County. Applications are being accepted by phone only at 920-922-7760.

After nearly three months of stay-at-home orders, America is starting to open up again. Contact tracers, the folks who work for state health departments to try to track anyone who may have been exposed to COVID-19, are an important part of our road to recovery. But some scammers are pretending to be contact tracers so they can profit off of the current confusion. They’re trying to steal your identity, your money – or both. Luckily, there are ways to tell the difference between a real contact tracer and a scammer. A contact tracer might get in touch to discuss results of a test you know you took, or because someone you’ve been in contact with tested positive. Legitimate contact tracers may call, email, text, or visit your home to collect information. Here are some things to do to protect yourself from fake contact tracers-

• Don’t pay a contact tracer. Anyone who says you need to pay is a scammer, plain and simple.
• Don’t give your Social Security number or financial information. There’s no reason for a legit contact tracer to need your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card number.
• Don’t share your immigration status. Legit contact tracers don’t need — and won’t ask for — this information.
• Don’t click on links or download anything sent from a contact tracer. Real tracers will only send you texts or emails that say they’ll be calling you — not ask you to click or download anything.