COLUMBIA'S EMPLOYEES
In an amazing display of compassion and concern, Club members have generously supported the Foundation’s Employee Assistance Fund (EAF) from its inception in 2019 onward to today. Addressing critical needs and financial hardship caused by the pandemic, the EAF has made grants totaling more than $330,000. These grants provided much-needed support for groceries, housing assistance, utility payments, medical expenses, childcare and more.
From the start, the Foundation Board designed the EAF to be flexible in its ability to pivot and respond to ever-changing circumstances and the needs of Club employees. Moving beyond the pandemic crisis, the Foundation has created a new program within the EAF called the Educational Assistance Initiative (EAI). Eligible employees can apply for tuition-related and other forms of educational funding to further their knowledge, improve language skills and expand their vocational competencies.