Grocery workers and their families bore an extraordinarily high burden during the covid 19 pandemic.remaining open throughout the pandemic, grocery workers frequent contact with customers created…

The Ufcw Charity Foundation, Inc. received a $15 million Block Grant award from the US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service under the Pandemic Relief Activities: Farm and Food Worker Relief Grant Program (CFDA 10.181). The Foundation will provide relief to grocery workers and their families in Georgia, Missouri, and Kansas who bore high burdens during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will educate eligible workers about the new relief fund, assist with application submissions, and process up to 30,855 applications over a 24-month period to provide reimbursements for economic costs incurred. As the non-profit arm of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, the Foundation is well positioned through existing field staff to help grocery employees access this targeted pandemic assistance by October 2024.

Grocery workers and their families bore an extraordinarily high burden during the covid 19 pandemic.remaining open throughout the pandemic, grocery workers frequent contact with customers created aperfect storm for the covid virus to spread. By june 2021, there had been at least 185 grocery workerdeaths and at least 42,000 grocery workers infected or exposed. Many others lost income due toquarantine and school closures. The farm and food workers relief pilot grocery worker program willoffer these workers a small reimbursement for the economic costs they bore. The ufcw foundation, the non profit arm of the united food and commercial workers union, will educate workers in GA, MO, and KS about the new relief fund, assist workers in applying for relief funds, and process theirapplications. Our goal is to process 30,855 relief applications over a 24 month period. During thepandemic, ufcw maintained an active presence in all 50 states, ensuring its members had access to ppeequipment, hand washing stations, and safe places to gather while maintaining social distancing. Ufcwfield staff are trusted community leaders and will be in a prime position to assist workers in accessingtheir funds.