Many of us who live in this area fear driving after dark for predominantly one reason—deer. 

Hitting a deer can happen in a blink of an eye and with shorter days, there are more hours of darkness. If you add in some slick roads, snow or worn tires, it’s a recipe for a bad day. A bad day if you have the money to repair your vehicle, and a bad week or month if you don’t have enough money to pay for the repairs to your vehicle. How do you get to work? How do you make ends meet and have enough money to provide for your family?

At the Wayne County Community Foundation, we were hearing from multiple employers and our partners at the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance that employees all over the county were short on cash to be able to pay for repairs to their vehicles—often from deer damage. The Foundation established the Worker Crisis Relief Fund last year to address barriers to work—such as damage to a vehicle. 

If you need help, you’re not alone. In 2022, 28 percent of Pennsylvanian households work, but struggle to survive. They’re stuck between having a job and still needing a little help here and there for some things. 

People who are in that situation are classified by the acronym ALICE.  ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. In Wayne County, 38 percent of residents qualify. 

Folks who fall under ALICE metrics earn too much to qualify for government assistance, but there is no room in their budgets for emergency expenses, such as car repairs. 

The Worker Crisis Relief Fund was started with a matching gift from a board member and her spouse at the Wayne County Community Foundation, with contributions from individuals and support from local funders, such as the John and Helen Villaume Foundation, the PPL Foundation and the Wayne County Community Foundation. The fund has been sustained over the last two years, but it is in need of additional funding to be able to provide this valuable service in the future. 

To date, the fund has supported over a dozen individuals by helping them address a barrier to employment. 

Referrals for funding come from the staff at the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance. Their staff meet with people to find out what other programs and funding they already have access to or that they might qualify for. If there is a gap in funding, they send over a request to the community foundation. The Wayne County Community Foundation works with the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance to find the best funding solution. 

“This fund has been a valuable resource for several community members who have faced a crisis and needed immediate assistance,” said Katheryne Hait, executive director of the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance. “By partnering with the Wayne County Community Foundation, we have been able to help these individuals bounce back quickly and regain stability in their lives.” 

Individuals have to be living in or working in Wayne County to be referred for funding. 

We know that access to a reliable vehicle can be essential to maintaining employment. While the Worker Crisis Relief Fund isn’t limited to only supporting transportation needs, the most frequent requests have been for repairs and down payments on used vehicles. 

If you’re interested in donating to the Worker Crisis Relief Fund, visit the Wayne County Community Foundation’s website at www.waynefoundation.org or give our office a call at 570/251-9993. Often, we’re all just one emergency away from needing help—and this is one way to offer assistance to those in our community who are really trying their best, but just need a little help to get back on track. 

Ryanne Jennings is the president/CEO of the Wayne County Community Foundation.