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Created,
funded and directed by Itron employees, the Itron Employee
Emergency Foundation (IEEF) makes a real difference in the
lives of Itron employees in financial crisis due to natural
disaster, catastrophic injury or death, and other unforeseen
emergencies.
Although
seeded by Itron, the IEEF is independent and funded by employee
contributions from across North America. The theme of the
fund is, "We Care, We Give, We Help."
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Contributions
for the fund are used to provide direct grants for needy families
that pay for:
- Housing
(past due rent or mortgage)
- Utilities
(past due electricity, natural gas, fuel oil and water only)
- Food
- Clothing
(only to replace what was lost during the emergency)
- Travel-related
funeral expenses
- Healthcare-related
travel expenses
- Medical
devices essential for daily living not covered by health
insurance
- Medical
expenses paid when financial resources have been exhausted
- Non-preventable
house repairs to ensure basic needs are met (water, power,
heat or shelter)
In its
inaugural year of 2007, the Itron Employee Emergency Foundation
helped 16 families who faced financial hardship due to unforeseen
and catastrophic events in their lives. For some, that meant
the loss of a loved one. For others, it meant facing the daily
reality of suffering from a debilitating or life-threatening
illness. For others it meant losing things we take for granted,
things as simple as a place to sleep, running water or power
to light and warm a house.
In this
first year, we learned that devastating things happen to good
people and good families. And we learned the true measure
of the power the Itron employee community has to ease the
financial burdens of those in need so they can concentrate
on healing their families and provide the basic necessities
of life.
"At the time my family and I had to turn to the IEEF,
we did not see a way out of our troubles," said one Itron
employee. "With the help and guidance from the IEEF,
my family and I have been able to move on from our crisis
and get back to our everyday life. We are thankful for the
assistance the IEEF provided--we couldn't have moved past
our difficult time without them."
Donations
from Itron employees and their families are essential to the
IEEF's ability to make a difference in the lives of fellow
employees facing emergency or personal tragedy.
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