TAMPA, Fla. — Lisa White was one of the many families who lost her job in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. She got behind on her rent and ultimately needed to relocate. Thankfully, she was able to receive help from the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa. 

"I literally had to reach out for some help and I got it. I got some help," White expressed. 

The CDC is a non-profit that has assisted 100 families at the height of the economic crisis. 

"Some of these folks have been out of work for five months, six months, so l can’t even imagine that feeling of distress," Ernest Coney, CEO of CDC of Tampa, said. 

Last year the CDC spent about $300,000 to help people with their rent or to find a new home. That money is now gone, but the rental assistance has grown. 

The CDC said they have been inundated with dozens of calls from families seeking help with rent and utilities, even though the economy has been slowly rebounding. 

"There are people who are hurting who have no idea how long this is going to last, because we’re not sure if people can go back to that kind of normal," Coney expressed. 

Many families across Florida will soon benefit from the $850,000 in federal aid coming into the state through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. 

Governor Ron DeSantis said cities with populations of 200,000 people or more will receive the funds directly from the U.S. Treasury. 

"For us, we’re really excited that this opportunity is coming up again because we know there are people in need," Coney said. 

According to the governor, the funds could be dispersed in the coming weeks.