Who can apply?
Who is eligible?
Guidelines for Eligibility
The KBP employee must be actively employed or on an approved leave of absence for no more than six months to be eligible for a grant from KBP Cares.
In the case of a death of an employee, the surviving spouse or eligible dependent of the employee may apply.
What are the qualifications?
Coverage in the Grant Assistance Program is approved based on a Qualified Incident.
A Qualified Incident is an unexpected and unavoidable circumstance, out of the control of the employee, that has now created a financial hardship. These circumstances are one-time events that have caused the employee to spend their mortgage, rent, or utility money on unexpected expenses.
This Incident MUST fall into one of these two categories:
1. Natural Disaster Relief Assistance: (…any catastrophic event caused by nature or fire). This includes: severe storms, lightning strikes, winter storms, hurricanes, and floods that have damaged or destroyed the employee’s primary residence.
Not covered under Natural Disaster Relief Assistance:
The repair of an employee’s second home, free-standing garage, shed or rental property or the replacement of non-essential items. Legible photographs or insurance reports may be required.
2. Emergency Hardship Assistance:
Life-Threatening or Serious Illness or Injury: The KBP Cares Grant Assistance Program is not a substitute for medical insurance and employees do not automatically qualify for a grant when they, their dependents, or spouse are diagnosed with, or suffer from, a life-threatening or serious illness or injury. There must be resulting financial need including, the inability to pay basic living expenses. Legible Doctor confirmation or medical documentation will be required.
Death of a Family Member: This can be the death of the employee, spouse, domestic partner or eligible dependents(s). The loss of income or the cost of funeral expenses or medical bills must prevent an employee or the employee’s family from affording basic living expenses. KBP Cares cannot pay for travel to funerals, caskets, grave markers or other funeral expenses. KBP Cares understands that death in the family is a very difficult and tragic incident. The death of a parent or sibling may fall on the shoulders of our employees. KBP Cares will consider these incidences and work on them on a case by case basis.
Catastrophic or Extreme Circumstances: This includes but is not limited to: fire, a major home damage that could not be prevented, a serious crime against the employee (robbery, arson, domestic abuse, assault, or another reportable crime) that impacts the ability to afford basic expenses. Catastrophic or extreme circumstances do not include: reduced work hours or pay, credit card bills, home foreclosure, or accumulated financial distress. Police, fire or another official incident reports will be required.
Who does the grant cover?
The KBP Grant Assistance Program will cover:
You, the actively employed KBP Employee.
The employee’s spouse or domestic partner. This is defined as an adult with whom the applicant is in an ongoing, committed spouse-like partnership. The applicant must live with this person, share the bills and combine their income together.
Minor children.
Other immediate family that the applicant is financially responsible for.
Are there requirements?
Yes. To qualify for this program and receive grant assistance the employee/ applicant must meet certain requirements:
The employee must meet the KBP Cares employment requirements at KBP as outlined above.
The employee must be experiencing a financial hardship that affects their ability to pay for basic living expenses that were caused by one of the 4 qualifying incidences identified above.
The qualifying incident and/ or financial hardship must have happened within the last 120 days.
If approved, your grant award will be paid directly to the service provider. Exceptions may be granted at the discretion of the Allocation Committee for Natural Disaster hardships. The maximum grant amount is $5,000. However, most grants will be less and will be at the discretion of the Allocation Committee.
What will the grant pay for?
Necessary and essential living expenses such as:
Rent, mortgage or other housing payments.
Temporary housing and/or security deposits for new housing.
Necessary utility bills (electric, water, gas, etc.)
Medical expenses (bills/premiums) that are not eligible for reimbursement or covered by insurance. Applicant must have agreed to a monthly payment plan with the hospital or doctor for any portion of the bill that is to be considered by the Allocation Committee. KBP Cares won’t cover the entire cost of the medical bills.
Minor home repairs needed to maintain home safety, if employee is homeowner.
What won’t the grant pay for?
Grants cannot pay for costs outside of essential and necessary living expenses such as:
Loss of KBP Employee’s household income because of a cutback in hours or overtime; the loss of a job; a divorce/ separation; the loss of child support.
An incident and/or financial hardship that has happened outside of 120 days of the applicant’s submission.
Legal fees to include anything connected to driver’s licenses, tickets, court fees, etc.
Non-essential utilities (cable, phone, etc.). KBP Cares does consider a cell phone to be essential however the bill will need to be supplied for consideration by the Allocation Committee.
Car payments or vehicle purchases.
The Allocation Committee won’t consider car repairs due to negligence or general maintenance. However, if an unforeseen circumstance occurred or a Natural Disaster, etc. a car repair will be considered. The grant award maximum is $2,000.
Furniture, appliances, electronics.
Grave markers.
Credit card debt and accumulated financial issues.
Accidental damages due to negligence.
Home foreclosures or short sales.
Expenses incurred due to lack of homeowners insurance.
Accumulated financial distress that results in not having enough income to cover regular monthly bills. KBP Cares’ grants aren’t available to resolve ongoing, general financial problems.
Wage garnishments; disconnection notices or eviction notices. These are results of a financial hardship, not the cause. Instead, your application for assistance needs to describe what happened that prevented you from paying these bills.
College Tuition or Educational Expenses.
**KBP Cares will assist with expenses that aren’t eligible for reimbursement under medical or homeowners insurance - KBP Cares is not an insurance replacement. Employees should make a good-faith effort to obtain insurance if they don't have insurance. The same is true for homeowner’s insurance and renter’s insurance. KBP Cares will assist employees with deductibles and items not reimbursed through those insurance plans.**
Ready to apply?
Start the Application Process
Please complete an application, review the eligibility requirements, and choose a qualifying incident. All sections must be completed entirely and truthfully.
Employment with KBP Brands will be verified.
After the application is submitted, the KBP Cares Advocate will review it and email the applicant to go over the application details.
Applicants must include proof of the qualifying incident (see each incident described above) and copies of bills or invoices for which they are requesting payment assistance. You will also be asked to verify financial information, such as the balance in a checking and/or savings account. All copies of documentation must be legible. Submit all needed documentation with your application.
The Advocate will submit your application, all documentation, and a summary of your hardship to the Allocation Committee for review. The bills you are requesting KBP Cares’ assistance with are also submitted.
The Allocation Committee will review the application. If you have any questions, your advocate will contact you for clarification.
You will hear from your Advocate when your grant has been approved or denied.
If approved, payments will be made directly to the service providers. The Allocation Committee may grant exceptions for Natural Disaster hardships at its discretion.