TOLEDO, Ohio — The Point Place library became a place to find more than just books after a tornado swept through the neighborhood last week.
After Thursday's tornado, residents have been showing up at the library to get help applying for Ohio's Prevention, Retention and Contingency disaster assistance program. Residents affected by the tornado can receive anywhere from $750 to $1,500 depending on the size of their family and eligibility.
Officials said they received 200 applications on Wednesday for assistance.
"I think by getting the checks quickly, it gives them some hope, it actually feels like government is working for them a little bit to do that," Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken said. "When you need food, when you need childcare, when you need utilities paid, you got to have the money now."
Yesterday, officials tell WTOL 11 they awarded about $30,000 in checks. On Wednesday, they expected to send out another $20,000.
"Not most people have a savings account they're going to draw out of and then get paid back," Gerken said. "So we realized the gap and we're trying to fill it."
Mother of two and Point Place resident, Kristin Guthrie, was accepted by the PRC program and will receive $1,500 by the end of the week.
"The governor hasn't marked it a tragedy yet," Guthrie said. "Insurances, people are just connecting you to one person to the next person, just trying to get help, you know. We live check to check and we're already hurting enough here in Toledo."
Applicants are supposed to receive their checks by the end of the week.
For more information on the PRC, visit Lucas County's website at this link.
