HOPKINTON — The Town of Hopkinton and the Hopkinton Emergency Fund (HEF) are pleased to announce that the HEF is actively seeking donations this holiday season to help serve Hopkinton residents who are in need of emergency financial assistance.
The Hopkinton Emergency Fund is a public, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that seeks to provide temporary emergency financial assistance to residents of Hopkinton through collaboration with existing local human services organizations.
The HEF partners with the following Hopkinton organizations to help identify and support families in need of emergency financial assistance: Hopkinton Youth and Family Services, Project Just Because, the Hopkinton Senior Center, and Saint Vincent de Paul.
The HEF is seeking the public’s assistance this holiday season. Each week through the holidays the organization will share information about its work and also encourage anyone who may be able to donate to do so, which will help fund future grants for emergency financial assistance.
Areas to be covered during the campaign include ways to donate during the holiday season, highlighting stories from those who have benefitted from HEF emergency grants, interviews with staff members, and highlighting the many people and groups who have supported HEF in recent years.
“The need for financial assistance for families in our Town when they have experienced unexpected events in their lives has become so real to me as one of the people receiving requests from our Partners,” HEF grant co-coordinator Judith Weinthaler said. “These are families that were doing okay, holding down jobs and paying their rent until there was a real emergency; a lost job by one of the parents, a car breakdown, a serious illness, etc. I am proud to be part of a support service to help these individuals and families weather the crisis at least in the short term and feel some hope that they can move forward toward more stability. They have expressed their appreciation for the money and also knowing that people in Hopkinton care for those in need.”
Added HEF Board Member and Treasurer Nataraj Iyer: “I am honored to be part of the Hopkinton Emergency Fund. Besides the excellent schools, resources within the town, accessibility to parks, retail, and proximity to Boston and Providence, what attracted me to Hopkinton was the sense of community that we have here. Unfortunately, even with so much, there are times when situations beyond our control happen, and we may need some help from our friends and neighbors. The HEF works, in partnership with local human service organizations, to provide emergency financial assistance to residents of Hopkinton that are experiencing hardship due to unforeseen circumstances. Neighbors helping neighbors is what brings us together as a community, and we hope that HEF can help be a part of this.”
About HEF
While several human services organizations exist in Hopkinton whose missions are to assist those in need with food, clothing and other necessities, these local organizations are not able to provide money to help clients pay bills for critical needs such as healthcare, utility bills, car repairs, rent, and more. With most organizations offering either distinct services or limited funding for very specific needs, many people in Hopkinton who experience immediate financial emergencies have nowhere else to turn. The Hopkinton Emergency Fund was started in 2020 to fill this gap.
If an HEF Partner service provider is working with a client who has an emergency financial need they submit a referral form to HEF that explains the situation and funding needed. The HEF grant committee reviews the application and if accepted, will write a check directly to the business vendor who is providing the service or the rental agency.
Learn More and Donate
Those wishing to learn more about the Fund can visit the HEF website here, and can also donate directly through the donation page. Donations may also be made via check, at: Hopkinton Emergency Fund, Inc., P.O. Box 44, Hopkinton, MA 01748.
Residents can also learn more about the organization by viewing an interview with HEF grant co-coordinator Judith Weinthaler, which was recently featured on Hopkinton Community Access and Media (HCAM).
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