The Willow Valley Communities Charitable Foundation established the Team Member Emergency Fund to provide relief payments (gifts, not loans) to Team Members who suffer financial hardship due to disaster. Specifically, relief payments provide assistance for necessary family living expenses such as medical expenses, transportation costs, childcare expenses, housing and utility costs. The Team Member Emergency Fund was born out of the overwhelming generosity and desire from Residents and Team Members to help fellow Team Members at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout 2020, this fund received more than $140,000 in gifts which were immediately used to aid Team Members whose needs were unable to be met as a direct result of the coronavirus. Since inception, the fund has continued to receive gifts from Residents. Disbursement of funds is decided by a committee comprised of one Human Resources Team Member, one Resident at-large, and one Foundation Board volunteer.