Temporary Assistance Fund (TAF)

What is TAF?
 

The Temporary Assistance Fund (TAF) is intended to help University Park residents who are HHUP members and who are in need of temporary services and/or financial assistance. Funds disbursed from the HHUP Temporary Assistance Fund shall be used for the following purposes:

• In-kind or monetary assistance

• Food/Nutrition

• Housing – temporary emergency assistance or crisis situations to avoid foreclosure or eviction

• Medical – small co-pays, urgent care visit

• Services, such as short-term health care aide assistance

 

The on-line TAF Application is available HERE. Complete it for yourself or for a University Park neighbor about whom you have concerns.

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Background

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Helping Hands UP (HHUP) is a Town of University Park (UP) special committee formed in 2017. It is a community-based, volunteer organization focused on helping aging and disabled University Park residents remain in their homes as long as they wish to. HHUP does this through volunteer services, educational programs and social activities, and partnerships with other individuals and organizations that complement our mission. By engaging a wide range of residents, HHUP enhances the quality of life for our entire community.

HHUP receives a monetary stipend from UP to help defray administrative and operating costs. HHUP has also received monetary donations from HHUP members. These donated monies are managed by the Town of UP and reside in a separate fund that carries over from one budget year to the next.

On November 19, 2018, the UP Town Council voted to approve HHUP's fundraising to for its newly established Temporary Assistance Fund (TAF). This fund is intended to help HHUP members who are in need of temporary services and/or financial assistance.

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Program Limitations

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To ensure equitable distribution of funds, the following limitations are placed on HHUP TAF disbursements:

• Total grants to an individual will not be greater than 1/5 of the HHUP TAF assets per distribution. Each grant application is reviewed independently.

• Funds are provided to, or expended for, an individual for no more than 2 months at a time.

• TAF eligibility and disbursement criteria will be evaluated annually, with changes made as determined necessary. Last review was on 11.17.2020.

 

Fund Eligibility Criteria

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Individuals eligible to receive funds from the HHUP TAF must meet all of the following criteria:

• They are disabled or elderly members of HHUP or meet the basic eligibility criteria for HHUP membership and complete a membership application at the time of request of funds.

• Monthly expenditures should be 60% or more of their monthly income.

• They have been residents of UP for at least 1 year (residency determined by address on major identification documents).

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Need Determination Procedures

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An HHUP sub-committee composed of the Chair and Treasurer will review requests for funds and will determine whether the applicants meet the eligibility criteria stated above.

A UP senior or any individual concerned about a UP resident may submit the TAF application to the two-person TAF Committee for review. Committee members will then arrange to meet with the UP senior and/or individual who submitted the application. Committee members will then decide whether and how much to pay for the expressed need. Payment will be made to whoever is providing the service, or to the UP senior if a receipt for services already provided is shown.

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Options for Complementary Support

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The HHUP Steering Committee leadership will utilize available resources to assist each applicant in finding a long-term solution to the events that led to needing financial assistance. This will include providing information about County and State programs. The committee may, with the resident’s permission, contact friends and relatives for further assistance.

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