Crisis knows no season. And for as little as $5 per month – about the cost of one large gourmet coffee or a deluxe fast-food burger – you can make a difference in the life of a co-worker.
Perhaps it will be a staff member who is critically ill but doesn’t have enough benefit time to cover an extended absence and still be able to buy groceries and pay the rent. Or it may be an employee who needs to leave a dangerous home environment but lacks the resources to secure independent housing and obtain specialized services.
Over the past year, the Faculty and Staff Emergency Fund provided about $30,000 in grants to employees such as these who were experiencing temporary financial hardship. Since the fund’s inception in 1992, more than 1,000 academic professionals and faculty and staff members have been helped.
To be eligible for a grant from the emergency fund, employees must have held a permanent position – an appointment of 50 percent time or greater – with the university for the previous six months. Eligible faculty and staff members may apply for assistance at any time; all contacts are confidential and assessments are free. Applications are screened by the Faculty/Staff Assistance Program before being reviewed and approved by a volunteer committee.
This year’s fundraising goal is $50,000; all of the money donated will go directly to helping employees in need. Contributions are tax deductible and can be made by payroll deduction, credit card or personal check at any time.
To donate:
- A payroll deduction form is available online. Prior donors may want to review or increase their pledge. To make ongoing contributions, check the box indicating that the deduction should continue until you request it be terminated.
- To give by personal check, complete the contribution form on the FSAP website, print and mail it with the check to: University of Illinois Foundation Faculty and Staff Emergency Fund, Harker Hall, 1305 W. Green St., Urbana, IL 61801, MC-386.
- Credit card payments are accepted online at https://give.illinois.edu/
- Go to the drop-down menu under “Annual Funds.”
- Click on “Select the college, school or unit you want to support.”
- Select “Faculty and Staff Emergency Fund.”
- Fill in the amount you wish to pledge, select “add” and then click “continue.”
- Complete the personal information.
- Select “process gift” at the bottom of the page.
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