New Program Launch: Financial Assistance for Utilities, Rent and Food Purchases

Grand Cayman, October 27th 2021 :

Resilience Cayman is pleased to announce a new COVID19 assistance programme that is supported by a CI$500,000 grant from R3 Cayman Foundation.

The programme, which will launch on November 1, 2021 and is focused on providing food vouchers, utilities relief and rent assistance to individuals and families whose employment income has been severely reduced due to work disruptions since March 2020.

Resilience chairperson Jan Gupta says the programme is responding to the evolving needs in the community. "We have been supporting residents and families since the start of COVID19 with food and utilities assistance. Now as we experience a jump in local community cases and associated quarantine of many households and workplaces, we are anticipating that those workers who were already struggling financially in prior months could encounter even greater challenges in meeting their basic necessities of life. For individuals who do not qualify for government programs, or whose NAU applications are awaiting a decision, there are limited places to turn to for help. Thanks to R3’s donation, we are ready to provide assistance to them”.

How the Programme Works

Our Programme provides one or more grants for various needs to eligible low-income customers who are struggling to pay for food, utilities and rent.

 To apply individuals must complete an online application form or if they do not have access to the internet, they can call Resilience at (345) 333-1010 to get help with completing their application over the phone.

Supporting documentation will also be required such as job termination letter, eviction notice, disconnection notice and/or quarantine notice. There are specific criteria that applicants will have to meet in order to qualify and eligibility will be verified with NAU and the Ministry of Tourism.

To pre-register visit https://www.resilience.ky or call (345) 333-1010

Who Can Apply

The grant is available to individuals:

• Residing in the Cayman Islands (Caymanian, PR and Work Permit holders with active or expired permits) who are at least 18 years old
• Who are unable to pay for their Food and essentials, Rent, CUC and/or Water
• Who have stopped working or have significantly reduced income because of reasons related to COVID19
• Who do not qualify or haven’t been approved for assistance from other programs including NAU, Ministry of Tourism and ARK
• Who had less than $CI 1,500 monthly employment/self-employment income in October 2021

R3 Continues to provide support to Utilities Assistance Programmes

R3 Chairman Bryan Hunter says that R3’s donation to this programme is a continuation of its efforts to support utilities, food and rent assistance programmes in the community.

“With the help of our generous donors, we have provided donations over the course of the last year to a number of non-profit organisations, including Resilience Cayman, to support their respective utilities, food and rent assistance programmes for those families and individuals who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr. Hunter says. “As such needs continue to exist in the community, we are pleased to continue our efforts to address those needs by supporting this programme that is being run by Resilience Cayman. We encourage all eligible members of the community who have been adversely impacted by COVID-19 to contact them.

 About Resilience

Resilience Cayman was formed in 2020 in response to COVID19 to address the immediate and long term issue of food insecurity for many workers who have been hit hard through job loss and business closures. Since April 2020, Resilience Cayman has provided food and utilities assistance to more than 3,300 families in the form of food vouchers, daily meals and CUC relief. We have also provided summer internship opportunities and grants to 35 young Caymanian college students to ensure that they are able to continue their education and develop workplace skills for their future careers.

For media enquiries, please contact

Biserka Pena

info@resilience.ky

About R3

R3 Cayman Foundation is a private sector-led, charitable organisation focused on disaster Readiness, Relief and Recovery in the Cayman Islands. Our mission is to help our three islands proactively prepare for, resiliently cope with and sustainably recover from manmade or natural emergencies and disasters. Established in 2020, our support enables community partners to maximise their positive impact in our community. To learn more and see our work in action, please visit www.r3foundation.ky.

Organisations and individuals seeking funding from R3 are encouraged to visit www.r3foundation.ky to download the application form. To donate to R3, please email info@r3foundation.ky.

For media enquiries, please contact

Pilar Bush

info@R3foundation.ky