The You First Fund
FAQs
Need help? For assistance, please contact donorservices@charities.org or submit a support request online at www.charities.org/support.
What is the You First Employee Assistance Fund?
First Watch established its Employee Assistance Fund as a program to help colleagues cope with unexpected financial hardships that place undue stress on an employee and his or her family. The Fund provides approved applicants with funds to help employees and their immediate families during times of significant financial hardship following a federally declared Qualified Disaster.
Who is America’s Charities?
First Watch has contracted with America’s Charities, a nonprofit 501c3 organization based in Virginia, to administer and manage its Employee Assistance Fund, and to provide a donation platform for employees to contribute to the Fund. America’s Charities is responsible for the management of the Fund and donation platform, including performing all reviews and decisions for all applications. First Watch is not involved in the review of any application or appeal and has delegated its authority to America’s Charities to make decisions on all applications in its sole discretion according to the guidelines established in this policy.
Participation
Are Employees Required to Participate?
No. First Watch is committed to helping employees while also providing opportunities for employees to lend a hand. Our hope is that either you can use this site to make a contribution supporting your teammates, or you can use it to apply for financial assistance to get through these challenging times.
Who Can Participate?
All current First Watch employees can participate.
How to Give
How Do I Make a Donation to the Fund?
Select the “Give Now” button from the First Watch Employee Assistance Fund block and follow the prompts to complete your donation.
Accepted Payment Methods
One-time Credit Card Donation: Your gift will be charged to your credit card and processed immediately (1-2 business days by your credit card provider).
Is My Contribution Tax Deductible?
Yes, your contributions are tax deductible. Please consult with your tax advisor for tax advice.
How Much of My Contribution Will be Donated to Employees in Need?
A nominal credit card administration fee is deducted from your donation. This fee is 3.5 percent of the gross amount of your pledge. If you pledge $100, then $96.50 will go to the fund to help employees in need.
How to Apply for Assistance
How Do I Receive Financial Assistance from the Fund?
To apply for assistance from the Fund, click the following link and submit the application: www.charities.org/youfirstfund.
Who is Eligible to Receive Financial Assistance from the Fund?
First Watch and America’s Charities have established the criteria below to determine colleague eligibility for assistance from the Fund:
- First Watch employees are eligible to apply for assistance as of the first of the month following the date of hire; full-time and part-time colleagues in active status or on approved leave or furlough are eligible to apply.
- No more than one award per Qualified Event category may be granted to any individual applicant in a twelve-month period.
- Employees must have been employed with First Watch on the date of occurrence of the Qualifying Event in order to be eligible for assistance.
- Qualifying Events must have occurred no more than 90 days prior to the application date. Once an application for a category of a Qualifying Event is denied, an application may be submitted for a different Qualifying Event after 30 days from date of previous grant application denial.
- Colleagues cannot apply for the same Qualifying Event more than once.
- Applications will be considered in light of past applications and disbursements. Priority for grants is given to employees who have not received grants previously.
For more information and to apply for assistance from the Fund, click the following link: www.charities.org/youfirstfund.
What Type of Financial Hardships are Covered through the Fund?
Financial Hardships are unexpected events that result in financial stress on a colleague and his/her immediate family. Below is a list of events and expenses that the EAF classifies as Financial Hardships.
- Medical/dental/hearing/vision expenses of colleague and/or immediate family member due to illness or injury that is not covered by insurance or other non-routine medical expenses; (Immediate family member is considered to be colleague’s spouse/domestic partner, child, sibling, parent, grandparent, and grandchild. This includes stepparents, stepchildren, and stepsiblings, adoptive and foster relationships.)
- Accident or illness of colleague and/or immediate family member resulting in loss of work; care and resources for a critically ill immediate family member resulting in loss of work;
- Death/Funeral expenses (travel/funeral costs) for spouse/partner, child or parent or other immediate family member;
- Financial hardship for unexpected, unavoidable reasons beyond an individual’s control (e.g. spouse or domestic partner’s layoff, unexpected loss of income, non-routine vehicle or home repair that restricts ability of applicant to care for self and household);
- Expenses due to military deployment or deployment of immediate family member;
- Expenses incurred due to domestic or physical abuse;
- Expenses arising from being a victim of violent crime; and
- Expenses arising from accident not due to negligence, recklessness or intent of colleague.
For more information and to apply for assistance from the Fund, click the following link: www.charities.org/youfirstfund.
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