LAKELAND, Fla. - The City of Lakeland is offering a new program to help its residents pay their rent and keep their lights on. It’s called the Care Program. 

Cindy Washington was one of the first people to apply for it on May 4, when the program started accepting applications. She runs the video production company B-Dubb Entertainment and said with the pandemic going on, all of her shoots were canceled. 

“There’s just no business as of right now and we’re just trying to figure out how we’re going to get our bills paid,” said Cindy Washington. 

She and her husband Bobby shoot and produce mainly wedding and music videos. Bobby is also a singer. He dropped a new album right before the Coronavirus started spreading, and said it has prevented him from performing at concerts, etc. 

Parents of two kids, Cindy and Bobby said the stimulus check wasn’t going to cover all of their bills. They were scrambling trying to figure out how to pay the rent. Through the Care Program, Cindy said they qualified for two months of paid rent and light bills. 

“I really needed it bad. I have a 3-year-old and I have a twelve year old. Every parent’s main priority is to make sure your child has shelter and food and their well being is our concern,” said Cindy Washington. 

To qualify, families must have verifiable loss of income related to COVID-19 impacts, live within city limits, and be delinquent on rent and/or utilities. The program offers up to three months of paid rent or $5,000, whichever occurs first. As of May 20, Assistant Director of Community and Economic Development Director Brian Rewis said 30 applicants had been approved and 316 applications were still waiting to be reviewed.

Out of the total $930,000 allocated to the program, he estimated there was still more than $780,000 available for families in need. 

For more information about the program and its income limits, click here.