Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/587184
1 CTA's Disaster Relief Fund provides financial assistance to members who have experienced significant losses due to natural disasters. This pertains to both homes and school sites. Money for the fund, which is administered by the FACT Foundation, comes directly from member contri- butions, and can be used to pay bills, purchase necessities and repair damages. Four types of grants are available: • Standard Grant — CTA members may receive up to $1,500 for significant economic hardship related to damage to their primary residence, displacement or disruption in required utilities. • Catastrophic Damage Grant — Recipients of the Standard Grant may be eligible for up to another $1,500 if damages exceed $50,000. • Temporary Displacement Grant — A grant of up to $500 may be available for members who are displaced from their primary residence as the result of a disaster, but do not meet the requirements for a Standard Grant. • School Site Grant — Members may receive up to $500 for damage to their classroom. To get more information, check eligibility, apply for a grant, or donate to the Disaster Relief Fund, see ctamemberbenefits.org/drf. 2 NEA Member Benefits' Disaster Relief Program provides financial resources and spe- cial accommodations to members who are in FEMA-declared disaster areas. These range from a premium waiver for one full year to partic- ipants in NEA Life Insurance and other NEA programs, to accessing your NEA retirement account to help pay for emergency expenses. See neamb.com/disaster-assistance.htm for more. 3 California Casualty is a CTA and NEAMB partner, and offers high-quality service on auto and home insurance policies tailored to educators and CTA members. See ctamemberbenefits.org/calcas for details. Members affected by the Valley Fire or other wildfires can contact the claims department at 800-800-9410. FOR HELP WHERE TO TURN and California Casualty's Christy Forward for their help and service during that time, saying simply, "They were incredible." Nicole Sabatier, president of the Konocti Educators Association, says she "couldn't be more proud" of CTA in how it has taken care of its members. Her local has 160 members, and almost all of them were affected by the fire. Those who turned to CTA's Disaster Relief Fund "didn't have to jump through a lot of hoops," Sabatier says. "They could apply through the CTA Member Ben- efits app on their phone. They could print out the papers, get them signed by the union presi- dent, and fax them, and CTA [via the FACT Foundation] would overnight the checks." Some received the maximum grants, allowing them to pay off insurance deductibles and start rebuilding immediately. " Wo r d s p r e a d i n o u r t i n y community," Sabatier says. "As a union president, I hear members all the time saying, 'What is the union doing for me? Why am I paying dues?' [Now] people have positive things to say: 'My union supported me and did it in an expedited way. This is what our union does for us because it cares.'" CTA partner California Casualty was also out in force during the fire. Claims representatives were in touch with evacuated CTA mem- bers the weekend the fire broke out, and met with them the following Monday (and are continuing to do so). By Wednesday, field marketing managers Christy Forward and Tami Phillips were at evacuation cen- ters providing information along with comfort, water, granola bars and more as they searched for other policyholders. Both contacted CTA leaders in the area, who sent their members email about how to contact California Casualty, how to make a claim, and how to get immediate financial help. The company also initiated a calling program to check on policyholders' well-being and status. A number of active and retired CTA members insured with Cal- ifornia Casualty lost their homes, but quickly received checks for immediate relief and living expenses. Amid the feedback the company received was a Facebook message from a retired educator: "We lost our house to the Valley Fire in Lake County. I reported my claim and received a phone call a few hours later. California Casualty has always been great to me and my family. The claims people have always been supportive. You guys rock!" California Casualty communications specialist Mark Goldberg contributed to this story. 57 V O LU M E 2 0 I S S U E 3 CTA & You DONATE TO THE FUND Thanks to members' goodwill and generosity, those in need can turn to CTA for assistance with dignity. For information on contributing to CTA's Disaster Relief Fund, go to ctamemberbenefits.org/drf.