Updates: AESES COVID-19 Assistance Fund
Earlier this month, the AESES Board of Representatives made the COVID-19 Assistance Fund available to support AESES members who are experiencing significant financial hardship due to the pandemic.
We have received nearly 100 applications to the fund thus far and, as a result, the COVID-19 Assistance Fund Committee has decided to make some adjustments to ensure we can help as many members as possible for as long as possible. These changes include:
- An exclusive partnership with Safeway/Sobeys through their bulk gift card program which has provided us with savings that have been rolled back into the fund, thereby allowing more money to be available for our members.
- With the availability of government benefits and plans such as CERB and CESB, we have reduced the amounts available for successful applicants in an effort to ensure we can continue to help as many members as possible.
The Safeway/Sobeys partnership is already in effect and the reduced amounts will take effect for all applications received after this week’s application deadline of noon on Friday, May 29th. Again, these important changes will allow us to support more members and ensure the longevity of the fund as the province looks to reopen over the summer months.
Only those members who are truly in need of this assistance and who meet the selection criteria should apply.
Some things you should know:
- All AESES members meeting the eligibility criteria are eligible to apply, regardless of whether they are signed members or not
- Applications received by noon on each Friday will be processed the following week
- Assistance will be provided in the form of a gift card which will be mailed to you
- The monetary amount available will be based on the applicant’s family status and qualified dependants
- Applicants cannot receive benefit funds more than once in a two-week period
If you continue to be in need of assistance, you will need to submit a new application for each two-week period
The Assistance Fund Committee may take extenuating/exceptional circumstances into consideration.
The COVID-19 Assistance Fund application form can be found here.
Questions about the COVID-19 Assistance Fund can be directed via email to assistance@aeses.ca.