On July 8, Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas, severely affecting a large portion of the Gulf Coast. The Category 1 storm left over 2 million Texans without power and air conditioning.
Many Upbring employees were among them—so we jumped into action, accelerating our Employee Loan Program to help affected Upbring Warriors meet pressing needs for housing, groceries, clean water and more.
Help in hard times
This longstanding program provides interest-free financial assistance to employees experiencing hardships. The benefit is available year-round, and Upbring has ramped up operations for past natural disasters and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Knowing we wanted to be there for employees in this urgent, challenging time, the Upbring People & Culture and Finance teams worked together to make temporary program exceptions for employees impacted by Hurricane Beryl. We increased the maximum loan amount, extended the repayment timeframe, and worked feverishly to issue the loans within 24 to 48 hours.
“We made it a real priority to get the funds turned around as quickly as possible,” said Erika Risinger, Director of People Development and Benefits. “I know for many people, getting the money so quickly really helped meet their immediate needs.”
Between July 11 and 31, Upbring processed loans for more than 50 warriors across a range of hurricane-impacted Upbring programs including the Headquarters team, Head Start Preschools and our Children’s Shelters.
Here’s what two Upbring Warriors said after receiving their loans:
“I want to let you know how much it meant to me and my family when you called me on Sunday after the hurricane to see how we’re doing and let us know about the emergency loan. I was so moved it brought me to tears. Having gone through no power for a week … to hear that voice was such a blessing to me and my family. What you all have done for us is truly a blessing and much appreciated.”
“The loan helped me out so much, with being able to buy food and pay some of my important bills. It made me feel so grateful and blessed; Upbring has been amazing from my first day. All of the Upbring team members are amazing, and I have so much respect for them.”
Wraparound support
To further guide employees in tough circumstances, we pointed them to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and several useful regional and federal resources including SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children; and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding.
At Upbring, we believe that employee wellbeing is child wellbeing. The Employee Loan Program is one of many ways we support the people who are the backbone of our life-changing programs and services across Texas. We provide continuous learning and a best-in-class culture to help employees grow and thrive in their roles. And when disaster strikes, we want to help Upbring Warriors and their loved ones recover as quickly as possible.
“If we’re able to help meet employees’ needs, then they are better equipped to meet the needs of the children and families in Upbring’s care,” said Erika.
Want to learn more about the Upbring difference?
Visit upbring.org/careers to learn about our culture, benefits and opportunities to join our dynamic team.