When Scott Severs learned about the federal stimulus checks, he was excited at first.

Then he wondered whether he truly needed the help.

Severs works as a natural resources technician for Longmont, Colo., and his wife Julie Bartlett is a federal contractor.

The city, his employer, is expecting a major drop in revenue this year because of the anticipated drop in taxes from income, payroll and sales. Still, for now, both he and his wife have jobs and their paychecks have been coming in.

They've been able to pay their mortgage and they have a healthy emergency fund. Severs credits his mother and grandmother for instilling in him a practice of "holding money for rainy days."

So Severs donated his entire payment to three charities, $400 each: the local chapter of Meals on Wheels, the local Humane Society where he and his wife adopted their pets, and a wildlife rehabilitation center nearby.

He acknowledges not everyone is in a position to donate their stimulus checks. "I think it's really important that people make that choice for themselves," he says.

Read more stories in Faces Of The Coronavirus Recession.

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