Coronavirus Help: Thousands Of Unemployment Applications Handed Out A Miami-Dade Libraries
HIALEAH (CBSMiami) - Four locations in Hialeah and more than two dozen libraries across Miami-Dade have become very handy for people who want to pick up unemployment applications.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez is proposing that another super site be set up at Tamiami Park.
This would be a 31st site and could be one of the more productive sites in the county.
Martinez told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "I am going to be proposing this to Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez. Here are Tamiami Park we will be able to stack thousands of cars on the site and be available to give out the applications. What I am proposing is to use the Grand Prix trace track that is here so three cars can fit side by side very easily. Overall what we are doing is trying to help our residents who have had problems with the state system when it keeps crashing and they can not get through. What I will propose to the Mayor is that we partner up with Career Source. Take the library n my district for instance. It does not have enough parking spaces."
At the John F. Kennedy Library in Hialeah, there has been a non-stop line of people driving up to get an application.
Those in the line said having places like this is a huge help to those unable to file for a claim online.
"It's been terrible, I just don't know, it's terrible," said Victor Rodriguez. "Hopefully things will get better but we need more money and medicine."
"It's tough, living day by day," said Heledys Rodriguez.
Heledys Rodriguez is out of work because her music school is shut down.
"It's a challenge," she said.
She got an application and will return it to be sent in as soon as she can.
"That's why I have hope that this will end. I have savings but there is only so much that I can use. I don't worry. The economy is fine and everything happens for a reason. Whatever will happen, I know this will end and I will be fine," she said.
Hialeah City Councilman Carl Zogby said "We realized that there is a demand more than ever and for the people who can not download this application and print from their own location, where do they go. There was obviously a great demand and a lot of people are out of work and a lot of people have no job."
Zogby spent the day at the JFK library monitoring the flow of traffic.
The third day of application distribution in Hialeah went much smoother than Tuesday when those in line did not practice social distance and were tightly packed as they slowly moved forward. There were eight thousand applications handed on that day.
On Wednesday, another 4,000 applications were given out.
"I am glad we can do this to help each other. I know the county copied our system at libraries and that's a good thing. I hope the state is going to really do more and with applications, I hope they will get the checks out immediately. Every week it gets worse and people can't get by and for now, beyond the virus, they are worried about feeding their family," said Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez.
Roberto Alas said he's trying to remain optimistic.
"I believe things happen for a good reason and we have to be good human beings, change will have to happen," he said. "This is something that, sooner or later, will be over and the bottom line is we are going back to a life that will be different."
The four locations to pick up unemployment applications in Hialeah are:
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- Slade Park at 2501 West 74th Street.
- Goodlet Park at 4200 West 8th Avenue.
- John F. Kennedy Library at 190 West 49th Street.
- Babcock Park at 651 East 4th Avenue
The locations are open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. until further notice.
Zogby said after filling out the application, residents have to put a stamp on the envelope and mail it to the state. "I would put a stamp on it and mail it myself directly," he said.
In Miami-Dade, unemployment applications are available at 26 libraries.
The locations are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The applications are in English, Spanish and Creole. Return envelopes are also provided.
Residents can take the application home to fill out and then return it in the sealed envelope by dropping it off in the library location's book drop or at any CareerSource South Florida location. Applications will be picked up from the book drops every day and delivered to CareerSource South Florida where staff will send them securely overnight to the Department of Economic Opportunity for processing.
Those planning to pick up an application are urged to practice social distancing and abide by markings on the ground spaced six feet apart.
These are the library locations where residents can pick up an application:
- Allapattah Branch at 1799 NW 35 Street.
- Arcola Lakes Branch at 8240 NW 7 Avenue.
- California Club Branch at 700 Ives Dairy Road.
- Coconut Grove Branch at 2875 McFarlane Road.
- Concord Branch at 3882 SW 112 Avenue.
- Coral Reef Branch at 9211 SW 152 Street.
- Country Walk Branch at 15433 SW 137 Avenue.
- Edison Center Branch at 531 NW 62 Street.
- Fairlawn Branch at 6376 SW 8 Street.
- Golden Glades Branch at 100 NE 166 Street.
- Hialeah Gardens Branch at 11300 NW 87 Court.
- Hispanic Branch Library at 1398 SW 1 Street.
- Homestead Branch at 700 N. Homestead Boulevard.
- International Mall Branch at 10315 NW 12 Street.
- Kendale Lakes Branch at 15205 SW 88 Street.
- Miami Beach Regional Library at 227 22nd Street.
- Miami Lakes Branch at 6699 Windmill Gate Road.
- Naranja Branch at 14850 SW 280 Street.
- North Dade Regional Library at 2455 NW 183 Street.
- North Shore Branch at 7501 Collins Avenue.
- Northeast Dade - Aventura Branch at 2930 Aventura Boulevard.
- Palm Springs North Branch at 17601 NW 78 Avenue.
- South Miami Branch at 6000 Sunset Drive.
- West Dade Regional Library at 9445 Coral Way.
- West Flagler Branch at 5050 West Flagler Street.
- West Kendall Regional Library at 10201 Hammocks Boulevard.
Residents can call (305) 375-2665 to find their nearest library location providing the printed applications.
Here are the links if you want to print an application at home:
Printable Unemployment Application in English
Printable Unemployment Application in Spanish
Printable Unemployment Application in Creole
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