By Jim Walsh | East Valley Tribune
Hundreds of Mesa residents will be getting calls from the city this week, but don’t worry: this is not a scam and they are not asking for money.
Instead, 100 city employees participating in the new Mesa Cares program will use contact lists from the various departments to reach out to residents and learn how they are being affected by the COVID-19 crisis and what the city can do to help.
The information from the telephone surveys will be presented to the Mesa City Council on April 14 and will influence how millions of dollars from the federal Cares Act will be put to the best use possible.
Mesa expects to receive about $4.6 million from the Cares Act for its response to COVID-19, starting in late April.
The funds are intended to cover a wide range of needs, ranging from rental and utility assistance for low- and moderate-income families, to getting the homeless off the streets.