Relief money has been sent out to over 130 million Americans, for one family it's salvation

The IRS says Thursday they sent four million people relief money from the coronavirus relief bill passed in January.

One family in Chico we interviewed before they received their money says now, it's a huge help.

Face the death penalty.

New tonight -- relief checks are still on their way to millions of americans.

Today -- the i-r-s says they sent out relief money to more than four million americans bringing the total to over 130 million people that have gotten some form of relief money from the coronavirus bill passed in january.

Action news now reporter esteban reynoso is live in chico.

Esteban you spoke with a family who got their relief money at the beginning of the week -- how are things for them now?

It's been a pretty good week for the kennedy family -- as well as millions of other americans who got their relief money.

For the kennedy's -- this money wasn't just a drop in the bucket -- it was salvation.

"it's a blessing."

On march 10th -- we interviewed francean kennedy -- a chico mother of two -- about what it would mean to her family to get money from the relief bill.

"a lot of people are thinknig about material things.

I'm thinking of buying something affordable.

I could pay off my car -- i'm only $900 away from owning my car -- and then i won't have to pay that bill anymore."

But the help came -- on monday kennedy told us she got the relief money in her account -- "my sister called me and said check your banking out -- and i'm like already i guess.

The night before it was negative three dollars and 42 cents.

I checked it and the stimulus was there.

I'm going to pay bills with mine."

Francean says she took some of the money she got from the relief check and came to a grocery store and bought some very important groceries for her family.

But it wasn't just about feeding her family well -- it was about all of them living comfortably too.

"then i used the other 1,200 to pay for my car, now i own my car.

And i paid off my son's bed, and the rest i saved and put away."

Matthew, do you wanna talk about your bed?

How cool is your bed?

Do you really like your bed?

"mhmm" what is your bed?

"a car" a car?

And it's got lights right?

"mhmm" oh that's so cool!

And for kennedy -- the relief money was exactly that -- "now i don't have any worries, i just have to worry about the little things and they're not that bad.

It's a lot of relief."

Kennedy also recently quit her job in the hopes of getting a better one.

As a reminder you only get relief money if you make less than 80,000 dollars a year.

Live in chico, esteban reynoso action news now the i-r-s says over $335 billion dollars has been handed out in total from the relief bill.