BATON ROUGE - Many Americans work one or two low wage jobs and earn just enough to be considered ineligible for government assistance.

These individuals, hovering just above the poverty line, often don't make enough to have a substantial savings account and so they live from paycheck to paycheck.

They're only an emergency away from extreme poverty. 

Capital Area United Way recognizes that due to the pandemic, that 'emergency' has arrived and a number of these hard-working citizens now find themselves financially destitute as their employers have been forced to let them go in response to the COVID-19 health crisis.

This is why the United Way is reminding Louisiana's most financially vulnerable residents to make use of free tools that can walk them through the process of obtaining temporary assistance from the government or direct them to other local nonprofit organizations that offer similar help.

To access this information, dial either 211 or 225-923-2114, or visit https://www.cauw.org/211 online. 

Click here for more information on financial assistance during the pandemic.