Giving Tuesday- Staff Agenda Fund for Emergencies
The ACR SAFE—the Staff Agenda Fund for Emergencies— was set up in 2008 as ACR’s version of an employee assistance program to help fellow coworkers who are experiencing urgent and overwhelming needs. Helping a co-worker in need fits with ACR’s core values, it is rewarding for both the giver and the recipient, and ultimately it has a positive impact on the tone and morale in our homes.
Matching Gift Challenge for the ACR SAFE
So far in 2020, the SAFE has had over 30 requests for assistance and has been able to donate over $18,000 to employees in need. In the spirit of #GivingTuesday, ACR’s founders Jim and Dorothy Nelson have offered to generously match any gift made to the SAFE between 12/1/20 and 12/4/20.
The Nelsons will match any one-time donations made to the SAFE during that time period dollar for dollar. Employees can use this donation form to make gift-giving easy. Non-employees who are interested in making a donation to support ACR employees can mail a check to ACR SAFE and mail it to our main office at 2437 Rice Street. To qualify for the match campaign, please call our front desk at 651-415-9991 and let them know that a check will be coming!
If you are already donating to the SAFE, thank you! You are helping coworkers in meaningful ways. If you’d like to start donating or if you’d like to increase your donation, you can find SAFE donation forms here, or ask your ACR supervisor for a SAFE donation form.
Helping Coworkers with Urgent Needs
With donations from employees and others, the ACR SAFE has responded to nearly 250 requests for help with things like:
- medical bills and lost income due to leave of absence during illness
- rent and groceries for an employee who needed time off after surgery
- auto insurance deductibles following accidents and other auto repairs
- Roof repair and related water damage
- losses due to theft
So thankful the ACR SAFE option exists
One ACR employee who received help from the SAFE wrote,
This has hands down been the most difficult season of my life, and yet in the midst of it I’m still amazed at God’s faithfulness. I have a great network of family, friends and co-workers, I am alive and healthy, have a steady job which I enjoy and provides healthcare, have a safe place to live, and the list goes on…As I sit and try to figure out how to make things work I am often overwhelmed and unsure how everything will pan out. Then out of the blue someone provides a bit of help, hope or insight. I am so thankful the SAFE option even exists. I know this does not provide a permanent fix, but it can make a very difficult situation a bit easier. Thank you for anything you can do—I appreciate it so much!
ACR employees who contribute to the SAFE enjoy being able to help in meaningful ways, too. A SAFE Committee member commented, “I am glad to be able to help. Delivering a check and supplies on behalf of the ACR SAFE is the best job in the world. It is especially rewarding to know that we are helping our own and to know that all of the money goes directly to coworkers who are in need.”