Crisis knows no season, and for as little as $5 per month, faculty members and staff can make a difference in the life of a co-worker in crisis.
It could be a staff member who is forced to leave an unsafe home without any belongings or resources to purchase basic personal items or the ability to find a safe place to stay. Or, it may be an employee who is critically ill but doesn’t have enough benefit time to cover an extended absence while still being able to buy groceries and pay the rent.
Over the past year, the Faculty and Staff Emergency Fund provided about $25,000 in grants to employees who were experiencing temporary financial hardship. Since the fund’s inception in 1992, more than 1,000 academic professionals, faculty members and staff have received aid.
Current staff, academic professionals and faculty members who have held a permanent, 50%+ position with the university for the previous six months are eligible to apply for assistance if they are experiencing a temporary financial hardship due to an emergency situation. Eligible employees may apply at any time. All contacts are confidential and assessments are free. Applications are screened by Faculty/Staff Assistance Services before being reviewed and approved by a volunteer committee.
To keep pace with assistance requests, this year a goal has been set to increase donations by 8%. All funds donated go directly to helping employees in need.
Any gift, large or small, makes a difference. You can donate by payroll deduction, online credit card payment or personal check, and contributions are tax deductible. Visit the fund’s web page for more information.
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