As you may have heard, over the summer our union set aside $20,000 to create the WVMFT Cares program. This program was originally conceived to help faculty who lost teaching assignments due to Covid-19 related class cancellations. It has since grown to also help faculty who have been temporarily or permanently displaced by the fires we've had this summer. To date, WVMFT has issued $500 grants to four faculty who have been displaced by the fires, and another sixteen faculty who lost teaching assignments or had COVID related financial hardship. As we continue to get the message out, it is likely we will get even more requests from faculty who are just learning of this program, and of course the spring may bring new challenges as well.

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So this email has two purposes...

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The first is to alert those in need to apply for a grant. If your living situation was disrupted due to the recent fires or COVID, or if you are an associate faculty member who had a last minute class cancellation, you may be eligible to receive up to $500 from WVMFT Cares. To be approved for the grant you must be a member in good standing (meaning you are current on union dues).

If you are seeking assistance, please reach out to Jeff Cormier ( jeffreycormier@sbcglobal.net), Nick Barron (nmbarron5252@gmail.com), or Ann Marie Wasserbauer (pianoamw@gmail.com).

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The second purpose of this email is to let those who are not currently in need that the WVMFT Cares program needs donations. We hope to make WVMFT Cares a permanent feature of the union, and to do that we need additional funds. So, if you can afford it, please consider making a donation to WVMFT Cares. 100% of the funds go directly to faculty in need. Any leftover funds will be held for future faculty grants. As a small bit of incentive, union leaders are pledging to match donations that come in from their constituent area:

• Greg Allen, WVC Steward, will match the first $250 donated from WVC Steward Area 1: Math, Chemistry, and Engineering
• Nick Barron, MC Part Time Rep, will match the first $100 from MC Associate Faculty
• Patricia Louderback, WVC Full Time Rep, will match first $250 from WVC FT Faculty
• Jeff Cormier, MC Full Time Rep, will match first $250 from MC FT Faculty
• Melvin Pritchard, Vice President, will match $250 union wide
• Kate Disney, President, will match $250 union wide