HOPKINTON — The Hopkinton Emergency Fund (HEF) is currently seeking donations from residents this holiday season to help serve Hopkinton residents who are in need of emergency financial assistance. To date, the Fund has provided $30,076 in grants to help Hopkinton residents meet an emergency financial need, and donations received this season will help to ensure the Fund can continue to provide needed support.
With the help of those who donate to the Fund and its community provider partners, the Hopkinton Emergency Fund has grown significantly since it began in 2020 and has helped many residents with emergency financial needs. The first grant was issued by the Fund in 2021. In total in 2021, $6,681 was awarded to residents with emergency need, with the average grant being approximately $800.
Over the past year, many organizations that provide help and assistance have seen an increase in need, which may be due to things like current economic trends, the elimination of some pandemic-related assistance, and the end of moratoriums for certain payments.
Thus far in 2022, the Fund has provided grants totaling $23,395 with individual grants ranging from $1,100 to $4,000. The Fund received six referrals for emergency financial needs in October and November alone.
The grants issued by the Hopkinton Emergency Fund are given in emergency situations when there is an immediate, critical need for funds. A majority of the grants the Hopkinton Emergency Fund has issued are for emergency rent payments to help people avoid evictions. The second most funded emergency is unexpected, urgent car repairs.
One resident assisted by the Fund requested help paying their rent due to a lost job, car problems, a death in the family and an accident, which occurred over a short period of time. The resident, who also works a low-paying job, received emergency assistance from the Fund, and is now receiving public assistance to help maintain rent payments and get their vehicle fixed.
According to the referral partner, the resident is appreciative of the assistance, which allowed them to stay in their residence and avoid eviction.
Another resident received an emergency grant to obtain emergency housing for their family due to unsafe housing conditions. This support enabled the resident to continue to pay their bills and support their family, and the resident has since been able to move back into their home.
Yet another resident was provided emergency funding to help make rent payments after the loss of their job, the death of their partner and health issues. Since receiving the emergency grant, the resident has been able to begin receiving unemployment and is looking for another job.
Other recent requests received by the fund have included emergency funding for car repairs that will help a resident get back to work, rental assistance to avoid eviction proceedings due to lost income after a partner’s injury, car repairs that help the resident get to critical medical appointments, and rental assistance due to multiple major unexpected expenses.
In each of these situations, the Fund has provided a one-time emergency grant to fulfill the resident’s requested need until the resident was able to find other, longer-term means of assistance.
“Many people are able to weather emergencies by digging into financial reserves, so many don’t realize that there is this need in our community,” HEF grant co-coordinator Judith Weinthaler said. “Where the Hopkinton Emergency Fund is able to make a significant impact is in cases where residents experience one or more emergency events, but don’t have the necessary financial reserves to help meet basic needs in the short-term, resulting in a financial emergency. The Fund is able to provide a grant to meet their immediate need until they are able to find a long-term solution, and this one-time source of funding often helps residents avoid eviction, job loss, and more.”
About HEF
The Hopkinton Emergency Fund is a public, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that seeks to provide temporary emergency financial assistance to residents of Hopkinton through collaboration with existing local human services organizations.
While several human services organizations whose missions is to assist those in need with food, clothing and other necessities exist in Hopkinton, these local organizations are not able to provide money to help clients pay bills for critical needs such as healthcare, utility bills, car repairs, rent, and more. With most organizations offering either distinct services or limited funding for very specific needs, many people in Hopkinton who experience immediate financial emergencies have nowhere else to turn. The Hopkinton Emergency Fund was started in 2020 to fill this gap.
To read an introduction to the organization and its holiday donation campaign, click here.
Donate
Those wishing to donate can do so directly through the HEF website donation page. Donations may also be made via check, at: Hopkinton Emergency Fund, Inc., P.O. Box 44, Hopkinton, MA 01748. Learn more about the Fund here.
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