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Dismantling the Invisible Wall: Breaking down barriers to pandemic relief

Dismantling the Invisible Wall: Breaking down barriers to pandemic relief
2021
Code for America
Author(s): 
Francesca Costa
Dismantling the Invisible Wall: Breaking down barriers to pandemic relief
Source Sector(s)
Non-profit
Benefits Program
COVID-19 Assistance
Level of Government
State/Provincial
Location
California
Format
Non-Academic Article

The CARES Act and Families First Coronavirus Response Act failed to reach millions of non-tax-filing Americans with low incomes and deliberately excluded undocumented immigrants, leaving entire communities without recourse. Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants (DRAI) was a crucial program by the state of California for undocumented immigrants, and the California Department of Social Services partnered with Code for America to build a digital portal that would support community-based organizations in taking applications, tracking the various steps in the process, and activating clients’ $500 bank cards.