The grant application will be completed online only.

The following guidelines will help an applicant determine eligibility when for applying for a grant from the RK Cares HERO Fund.

I.General Overview

You must be able to verify the following to be considered for an RK Cares HERO Fund grant:

  1. Demonstrate the recipient’s need due to an unplanned and recent medical issue, accident, or emergency financial hardship. The loss of property, a health emergency, or personal crisis must have occurred. (See Section II. Eligible Incidents below for additional details.)
  2. Demonstrate that the issue / incident for which you are applying occurred within the last six months.
  3. RK Human Resources can confirm you are a current employee in good standing and employed full-time for at least six consecutive months. An employee in good standing is regarded as having complied with their explicit employment position obligations and company policies, while not being subject to any form of sanction, suspension disciplinary or performance censure. The HERO Fund is open to RK employees and their immediate family members.
  4. Provide all requested documentation.
  5. Have exhausted all other appropriate means of assistance including personal insurance and other resources such as the Employee Assistance Program or other services, see below.
  6. The following resources should be utilized if employee is eligible:
    • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Guidanceresources.com or call 800-327-1850.
    • Short Term/Long Term Disability – Short Term Disability covers employees after 6 months of service, Long Term Disability goes into effect first of month following year anniversary – www.TheHartford.com to file claim online or call 800-549-6514.
    • Accident Insurance – (Only available if employee is enrolled) – www.TheHartford.com to file claim online or call 800-549-6514

Important Note:

Contributions to the HERO Fund are not required as a prerequisite for eligibility, and past contributions or lack thereof shall not be considered as factors for eligibility.

II.Eligible Incidents

The following is a non-exhaustive outline of emergency incidents that are eligible for grant consideration. The event must be extraordinary, non-recurring and cannot be something that typically occurs in the course of day-to-day living.

  1. Time: The issue / incident must have occurred within the past six months (no exceptions) and while the requesting party was an employee in good standing at an RK company.
  2. Bereavement: Expenses, Funeral or travel following the death of the employee or his/her immediate family member. Immediate family member includes spouse, child, parent or sibling. The review committee is willing to review on a case by case basis possible exceptions to this rule, for example grandparents and step family members.
  3. Accident/Illness: Urgent medical and/or dental expenses, to the extent not covered by insurance and if needed assistance with co-pay or deductible.
  4. Aid and Assistance:
    1. Property casualty loss of home or contents due to a catastrophic event, to the extent not covered by insurance.
    2. Unexpected loss or damage to vehicle or other mode of transportation that prevents employee from getting to work, to the extent not covered by insurance.
  5. Emergency Shelter: Emergency funding to prevent or following eviction.

III. Program Restrictions

The following are not eligible for financial assistance from the HERO Fund.

  1. Anything covered by any insurance policy.
  2. Credit card debt.
  3. Student or payday loans.
  4. Legal fees and expenses associated with divorce settlements, child custody cases and/or criminal prosecution.
  5. Cosmetic medical or dental procedures.
  6. Pet related medical or other expenses.
  7. Any event or incident that occurred prior to employment with RK.
  8. Any event or incident that occurred more than 6 months ago. If you feel that your situation is an exception, please provide details and the Review Committee will consider on a case by case basis.
  9. An ordinary, anticipated event caused by deliberate intent of the recipient will not qualify.
  10. Poor financial decisions and planning, which have created a situation where the applicant is over-extended and a one-time grant from the HERO Fund cannot realistically help improve the situation.
  11. Mortgage or rent payments that are two months or more in arrears.

IV.Funding Overview

  1. Recipient may receive funding once per calendar year.
  2. Applicant may only request funding once per incident.
  3. Applicant must be employed at RK a minimum of six consecutive months to apply for a RK Cares HERO Fund grant.
  4. A minimum of $500, and funding not to exceed $2,500 per incident is available. The amount granted is at the sole discretion of the Review Committee and cannot be appealed, nor will an explanation for the amount selected or an application that is not approved be provided.

Additional Information

  1. RK Cares HERO Fund is seeking 501(c)(3) status which, if granted, would mean that contributions to the RK Cares HERO Fund are exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
  2. There must be adequate funds available in the RK Cares HERO Fund for any request to be granted and/or approved.
  3. All requests are reviewed by a committee comprised of RK employees and all information is kept strictly confidential. The individuals serving on the committee are to remain anonymous.
  4. Despite being made up of RK employees serving in a voluntary capacity, the RK Cares HERO Fund operates independently from the shareholders of RK. The RK shareholders and controlling officers shall not participate in or attempt to influence the selections or decisions made by the RK Cares Foundation committees.
  5. The Review Committee will meet once a month to make funding request decisions unless applicant requires an expedited review decision.
  6. As a public charity, and to maintain the tax advantages to the donors and recipients of the funds, the RK Cares Foundation must assure that a portion of the funds are directed toward the community as a whole, rather than exclusively to RK employees. The RK employees that assist with the RK Cares HERO Fund are all volunteers. No RK employee shall receive any salary or stipend for his/her time. It is a key goal of the RK Cares Foundation to keep overhead and expenses as minimal as possible. Therefore, when one donates to the RK Cares HERO Fund, one can be confident that the contributions are reaching those in need, rather than being diluted by overhead and red tape.