Viewers have asked 3NEWS if 361 Grants, a service that charges a $150 fee to sign you up for COVID relief grants, are real. We looked into it.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — 3NEWS viewers have been asking about a service called 361 Grants operating out of the El Barrio Food Pantry on 19th Street. Customers there have been leaving with paperwork instead of food, along with hopes of a big payout down the line.
For a $150 fee, the pantry is offering to sign people up for what they say are COVID relief grants that offer between $10,000-$30,000.
Some customers assumed the business was a nonprofit, but it’s not. 3NEWS reached out to the Better Business Bureau to ask about the legitimacy of this operation. They pointed out the red flags customers should be aware of.
“The $150 is actually for the fee for the grant writer,” said Linda Munoz, President of the El Barrio Food Pantry. “Grant writers are always going to charge a fee. Any grant writer. And so that’s what that is for.”
“We need to question when somebody is asking us for payment upfront for a service like this,” said Better Business Bureau Regional Director Katie Galan.
Many are asking if 361 Grants is a scam, but many others are handing over their money.
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