It is our honor to keep Jonathan’s spirit of goodness and giving alive through the people and families we are privileged to assist.
As our President, Mike Rizzo, is often heard saying, the Foundation has refocused our resources to serve the urgent needs of those who may not qualify for formal aid and may be in danger of falling through the cracks in the system. Many of those we help may have had a temporary setback and just need a little help getting over the hurdle in order to get back to a level of self-reliance. This support can help them maintain their dignity during a difficult time.
A few notes about our policies and process regarding assistance requests. First and foremost, we want to confirm our commitment to treat all requestors with dignity, privacy and respect. Also, all applications are reviewed by the Board of Directors. Once the board has reviewed and voted on an application, the requestor will be notified of the Board’s decision. The Foundation Board currently consists of only a few volunteers so while we try to address all requests, especially the urgent ones as quickly as possible, it may take us 2-4 weeks to respond to your request. We appreciate your understanding.
In some instances, the Board will have additional questions and in that case a Board member will contact the requestor. Also, please note that approved requests may require additional documentation to be provided prior to release of payment e.g. a utility bill. The notification of approval will detail the required documentation.
The Foundation has provided assistance for families in many ways including, medical bills, food and clothing expenses, utility bills, car payments that allow people to continue to work and even funeral expenses. We are always willing to look for creative ways to help a family, organization or community in need. It is important to note that the Foundation does not generally approve direct requests for cash to an individual but rather will ask the nature of the need and how can we best help. If we are assisting with rent for a family we will normally pay the landlord, for medical assistance we will pay the provider not the patient, utility bills will be paid directly to the utility company with documentation, etc. In some cases where food or clothing is needed for example, we may provide a gift card to the appropriate store so the right size or type of food can be purchased but not cash.
If you are requesting assistance for yourself and/or your family, or for someone other than yourself and/or your family, please fill out the form below.