Call to Action

COVID-19 highlighted the critical importance of direct care workers – heroes who came to work often at their own risk. They showed up to care for our elders who were vulnerable, isolated and without access to loved ones. There were many less visible heroes also – like cooks, dishwashers, housekeeping, laundry and tech support who helped with digital connections. At Episcopal Homes, 70 percent of our heroes are people of color who struggle with health and economic disparities heightened by COVID and racial injustice. Heroes supported others while facing their own unanticipated hardships, like threat of eviction, death of a spouse, move to a shelter or unanticipated medical bills. How, as a community, can we similarly care for our heroes if they need a bridge when they struggle with unanticipated crises?

Mission to Action

This call to action sparked the Foundation to establish its Employee Emergency Assistance Program during the pandemic. Employees can confidentially apply for temporary emergency support of up to $1,000 per year and for smaller gift cards to pharmacies or grocers to support them in crises. Emergency assistance cannot fix ongoing challenges, but it can help restore our heroes’ stability when crises arise that compromise their own wellbeing and their family’s too.

Employee assistance is made possible through generous contributions from the Foundation’s corporate Vision Partners and individual donors.

When financial hardships occur, we want our employees to know they’re not alone.