EUGENE, Ore. – Just days after opening for applications, all emergency relief funds have been allocated.
State officials said 70,000 Oregonians received or are set to receive the one-time payments of $500 to help them through the pandemic.
Lines were around the block on Thursday.
MORE: LINES AROUND THE BLOCK FOR $500 EMERGENCY RELIEF CHECKS
Lines were around the block at local banks and credit unions on Thursday and Friday as residents sought to receive the assistance.
Johnny Cayton was beginning to feel anxious that funds would be gone by the time he got through the hours-long line at Selco Credit Union.
"Well there's a lot of people. I had heard that it's only been about two days that they've been doing this so I came out here to try and do this. So finding out that this is the last day, I'm glad I'm here," he said. "But it is nerve-wracking a little bit. I'm pretty sure everybody is feeling it. I sure as hell am."
As of Friday morning, financial institutions that have been distributing funds were given a final funding allotment cap for the day. All previously scheduled appointments will continue through the month, but no new applications will be accepted.
“We’ve said from the beginning that we know this is not enough money to help all of those in need,” said Senate President Peter Courtney. “But we had to take action to get money directly to people as quickly as possible and this is a tremendous example of Oregonians pitching in to help our most vulnerable.”
OnPoint Credit Union closed their doors early after they stopped taking applications around noon. Mikalea Loehr showed up at their door this afternoon hoping to receive the funds but was disappointed by the timing. She said that her work as a contractor was on hold and was not eligible for the state's other relief efforts.
"You get your hopes up for some sort of relief and find out you missed the boat. It's kind of been the case all along. I can't say I'm surprised at this. It's just one more letdown," she said.
After just two days, payments had been made to nearly 40,000 Oregonians that were eligible for the funding. On the first day of the program, nearly two-thirds of the payments went to residents outside the Portland metropolitan area, according to state officials.
