Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the UAB, Benevolent Fund has continued to operate the Blazer Kitchen with pre-packed bag drive-thru pick-up and online ordering and the Employee Emergency Assistance Program (EEAP), which distributes funds to employees affected by the pandemic.
Help the Benevolent Fund continue their work by becoming a supporter of the Benevolent Fund during the spring campaign Feb. 15-March 15; the campaign’s goal is $2 million.
“Our employees and others in our community continue to need help as we battle the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Lisa Higginbotham, Benevolent Fund manager. “Giving during the Benevolent Fund campaign enables us to provide that help for pandemic-related needs and others, such as housing and bill assistance. This is a real-time opportunity for Blazers to embody our shared values of stewardship and collaboration and work together to be a helping hand in our community.”
More than $1.65 million already has been raised through continuous gifts, which enable the fund to count dollars toward new campaign goals without employees needing to renew their pledge, Higginbotham says. Undesignated contributions, meaning those not directed to a specific community partner, permit the group’s flexibility in operating the EEAP, providing grants for nonprofits and conducting other projects, such as the annual Habitat for Humanity build. The Habitat build was cancelled this year because of the pandemic.
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"This is a real-time opportunity for Blazers to embody our shared values of stewardship and collaboration and work together to be a helping hand in our community.” |
“Each year, the $50,000 sponsorship price to host a Habitat build includes funds designated for that purpose and undesignated gifts — those make up the remainder of the dollars, more than $23,00 annually,” Higginbotham said. “We would very much like to add those projects back into our 2021 budget.
“Additionally, undesignated gifts allow the fund to be creative,” she continued. “Without undesignated gifts, we wouldn’t have been able to offer programs such as our Community Impact Grant or provide the seed money to begin the Blazer Kitchen in 2017.”
Higginbotham encourages Blazers to contribute one hour of pay or 1% of their income per month but welcomes gifts of any amount. Those interested can set up a gift via payroll deduction by logging into the Benevolent Fund Pledge site using your BlazerID and password and entering a pledge amount and any nonprofit designations.
