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The United Way Offers Grants for Grocery Workers

The United Way Offers Grants for Grocery Workers

The United Way is offering grants for grocery workers through the Grocery Workers Appreciation Fund! This fund provides up to $250 for grocery workers who are having a hard time. Applications are open now and will remain open through August 2030.

In this article, we’re going to review what this program is, who is eligible for it, and what you need to do to apply.

What is the Grocery Workers Appreciation Fund?

The Grocery Store Workers Appreciation Fund provides grants to grocery workers in the United States. The grants are administered as prepaid credit cards, worth $250. These cards are intended to help you survive an unexpected or urgent need, like a car repair or dental care.

This fund is a financial assistance program sponsored by United Way. It was established in response to the pandemic, when grocery employees were designated essential workers. The United Way chose to express their appreciation by establishing a fund that could provide extra financial support to this critical workforce.

Even though most of the pandemic era programs are ending, the United Way has stated that this fund has received pledges that should keep it running through August 2030 so there’s still time to apply!

Who is eligible?

In order to be eligible for the Grocery Store Workers Appreciation Fund, you must be a current employee of a grocery store in the United States or District of Columbia. This includes major grocery stores, like Kroger and Piggly Wiggly, as well as small local grocery stores.

If you work at a retail store that has a grocery department, like Walmart and Costco, you may also be eligible. It is not immediately clear if you are eligible if you do not work in a different department of those stores, though.

How do you apply?

Applications are open now and will remain open through August 2030. However, there is only so much funding available every month. The funds may be used up before the month is over. When that happens, applications will close temporarily and reopen again on the first day of the next month.

You can apply for the Grocery Store Workers Appreciation Fund on the United Way website.

During the application process, you will be asked to provide proof of your employment and an explanation of how you intend to use the money. Your explanation must show why you need financial assistance.

What happens when you apply?

After you apply, you will need to wait about 30 days before you find out if you were approved or not. For that reason, it is not wise to rely on this grant for emergency needs like rent payments or prescription costs. If you are facing an urgent emergency, you will want to call The United Way’s 211 line for additional resources that can help you.

The United Way will contact you by email within about 30 days. The email will tell you whether or not you were approved for the Grocery Workers Appreciation Fund in the month you applied.

If you are approved, you will receive the $250 prepaid credit card code by email or text message. The code can be used anywhere that major credit cards are accepted. You will need to wait at least 365 days before you can

If it was not approved, don’t worry. You can apply again on the first of the next month. Try to apply as close to the 1st as possible so that funding doesn’t run out!

Summary

In conclusion, the Grocery Worker’s Appreciation Fund is a great help for grocery workers. The United Way started it to say thank you to grocery workers, who are so important to all of us. If you’re a grocery worker and need some help, make sure you apply right away!

Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.

Jason Grant

Thursday 3rd of August 2023

I'm denied or accept. It was May when I first applied I have not received any response or information regarding the grocery store I sent all informatin you asked for Thank you

Catherine Marucci

Thursday 3rd of August 2023

Hi Jason. You will need to contact the United Way directly to get an update on your application with them.