Brief Description:

The

Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore Employee Hardship Fund

(the "Fund") will provide monetary support to assist employees following a natural disaster or series of sudden or unexpected events or circumstances beyond an employee's reasonable control. The Fund's primary focus is responding to emergency needs in order for employees to meet short-term, basic living necessities. The Fund seeks to provide financial assistance to address uninsured needs not covered by other Foodbank or community programs otherwise available to the employee.

Eligibility Requirements:

Eligibility and Application:

All full-time employees of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore are eligible for assistance from the Fund. The application process includes submission of the application form, as well as providing documentation of need and proof of the employee's inability to respond to the emergency hardship.

Assistance provided by the Fund will be administered by checks payable to specific service providers (i.e. landlords, hospitals, funeral homes) on behalf of the employee. Absent extenuating circumstances, checks will not be written directly to employees.

A maximum of $3,500 will be awarded in connection with a single incident with a lifetime limit of $10,500 per employee. Assistance is only available up to the actual Fund balance.

**An employee can receive grant assistance of up to $3,500.00 for two consecutive years, but cannot submit an additional application for two years after the last approved grant.

Selection Process:

The Fund Administrator will access "need" in an objective, non-discriminating fashion after full consideration of the circumstances particular to the employee experiencing a financial hardship. The Fund Administrator will determine if the employee's situation is of such a magnitude or severity that it is unlikely that the employee has sufficient resources to satisfy basic needs without assistance.

Other Information:

Employees may apply for financial assistance in connection with an emergency financial hardship, occurring for reasons beyond the employee’s reasonable control, related to or arising out of one of the following:

•  Losses caused by a natural disaster, including fire, earthquake, tornado, flood or hurricane
•  Death in the immediate family (defined as spouse, parents (including mother and father-in-law), and children) not eligible for coverage by life insurance benefits
•  Loss of income due to a severe accident or illness
•  Critical home repairs necessary to meet basic living necessities, or to prevent condemnation or eviction
•  Relocation expenses in order to escape domestic abuse, including first and last month's rent and deposit

Contact Information:

For questions about this application, please contact Jennifer Brambley at jbrambley@pcfvirginia.org