蜜柚直播

Her nephew, Paul Osantowski, and his girlfriend, Katie Bittner, were both laid off due to the pandemic and need the money more than she does, Watkins said. The couple has a newborn, a daughter who is about seven years old and two teenage sons.

The check is on its way to Michigan, where Osantowski鈥檚 family will be able to use it for groceries, to help with their house remodel or for anything else they might need, Watkins said.

Watkins is one of many 蜜柚直播ans who have chosen to donate their share of government funds to those in need.

Nancy 鈥淣an鈥� Standish said she planned to donate most or all of her stimulus money since she read about the federal bill that would send up to $1,200 to individuals and $2,400 to married couples, plus an additional $500 for each child in a family.

Standish said she鈥檚 not rich but is financially stable and knows the money could be used to help local charities support families and children across 蜜柚直播.

鈥淚 feel that I鈥檝e been so lucky and so blessed with what I have that I鈥檇 like to share it,鈥� she said.

Standish hasn鈥檛 seen the $1,200 deposited in her account yet. When it arrives, she said, her plan is to donate it to three or four local charities.

There鈥檚 been a surge in donations in the days since the federal funds started to appear in people鈥檚 accounts, said Tony Penn, president and CEO of the United Way of 蜜柚直播 and Southern 蜜柚直播.

Penn said he can鈥檛 confirm the rise in donations is coming directly from the federal checks, but a few donations were for $1,200.

鈥淲e live in a very generous community,鈥� Penn said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 one thing that鈥檚 wonderful about the people of 蜜柚直播 and Southern 蜜柚直播.鈥�

Michael Allen unexpectedly received $500 through the federal stimulus bill鈥檚 relief funds for health-care providers. Allen is a clinical therapist and although he has seen a reduction in clients in recent weeks, he and his wife decided the stimulus funding could help others.

He and his wife, Kathy Allen, decided to donate the $500 to the Community Food Bank of Southern 蜜柚直播 and to a COVID-19 hunger relief fund in Afghanistan after he heard of the fund through a friend who works for the United Nations.

鈥淐OVID is not just in our country, and for countries that don鈥檛 have as much support there is even a greater need in many ways,鈥� Allen said.

The couple also plan to donate their personal stimulus money, though they don鈥檛 know yet to which organizations, Allen said.

For Watkins, donating her stimulus check made her feel like she gained something because she helped make her nephew鈥檚 life better, she said.

鈥淗e鈥檚 a really good guy. He helps everybody and he鈥檚 on hard times. It鈥檚 my honor to help him,鈥� Watkins said.

She said her nephew has been remodeling his family鈥檚 two-bedroom home, converting the garage into a bedroom for the teen boys.

Watkins said she sees her nephew and other family members about once a year, when she flies home to Michigan. But she most likely won鈥檛 be able to visit them this year due to the pandemic, she said.

Watkins, who was born in Argyle, Michigan, a town about two hours north of Detroit, moved to 蜜柚直播 about 40 years ago. She retired three years ago from her information technology job at the University of 蜜柚直播.

The pandemic has not affected her retirement checks, she said.

Watkins wasn鈥檛 sure whether she would get a stimulus check because she鈥檚 retired, but she said she decided a couple weeks ago that if she did receive the money, she would give it to her nephew.

Watkins encouraged others in a position to donate their stimulus check to do so.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always good to have extra money, but a lot of people are struggling,鈥� Watkins said. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 need it, give it to somebody that鈥檚 having a hard time.鈥�