Questions About Applying
In which situations will the Melrose / Hoffman Critical Need Fund provide financial assistance?
The Melrose / Hoffman Critical Need Fund was established to assist employees facing unavoidable, emergency situations. The kinds of situations in which our fund may be able to provide assistance include:
- Loss of life
- Injury
- Illness
- Natural disaster
- Catastrophic or extreme circumstances (COVID-19)
- Mental health or chemical dependency treatment
For which basic living expenses will the Melrose / Hoffman Critical Need Fund provide financial assistance?
Depending on the situation and the employee’s need, our fund may provide assistance for bills related to the incident causing the financial hardship. (The fund strives to pay bills that are directly related to the incident (i.e. medical bills, car repair bills, etc.) In some cases where the employee can document that they paid for out of pocket expenses living expense bills will be paid). Those bills may include:
- Rent or mortgage for primary residence only
- Essential utilities – gas, water and electricity only
- Security deposit for new apartment or rental home (for employee’s that have been displaced)
- Deposits to establish essential utilities in new residence
- Temporary shelter if the employee’s home is uninhabitable due to damage from a fire, natural disaster, or can be documented that it is no longer safe
- Food and clothing
- Medical expenses not eligible for reimbursement by insurance (must have current health insurance policy)
Which family members does the Melrose / Hoffman Critical Need Fund consider as eligible immediate family?
Our fund considers the employee, their spouse/domestic partner, children under the age of 21, and other dependents for which the employee is financially responsible as eligible, immediate family, as documented on the most recent tax return. (The fund only covers the employee’s parents in the case of death and paying for their funeral expenses).
Typically, immediate family members are those who can be covered under The Toro Company’s benefits plans. Parent, grandparents or other relatives are not considered dependents unless the employee can show they are claimed as a dependent on the employee’s IRS tax returns.
A domestic partner is defined as, “an ongoing and committed spouse-like relationship between adults of the same or opposite gender.”
What is the turnaround time to process a grant application?
Our fund strives to maintain a five-business day lead time (excluding weekends and holidays) from the time we receive a completed application. Those five business days do not encompass the time it takes to process outgoing checks. However, process time will be extended in cases where we are missing documentation, signatures, or if other information is needed.
The committee typically meets on Thursdays to review fully- completed applications. You will be notified via email if information is missing from your application that will cause a delay.
Checks are mailed once a week, depending on when an application is approved. Checks are sent directly to vendor(s) by standard mail. It can take as many as ten days for a check to be processed. It is the employee’s responsibility to make sure the vendor is notified payment is arriving from a third-party. The Minneapolis Foundation is not responsible for late payments.
When will the Melrose / Hoffman Critical Need Fund provide assistance in the situation of an illness or injury?
If an employee is unable to pay for the basic necessities of living or unexpected medical bills as a result of an illness or injury, our fund may provide financial assistance. While our fund may approve medical expenses not eligible for reimbursement, please understand that the Melrose / Hoffman Critical Need Fund is not a replacement for medical insurance and does not exist to supplement existing Short- Term and Long-Term Disability Benefits.
What information does The Melrose / Hoffman Critical Need Fund need when reviewing an application?
In each case, our fund requires a completed application form, along with the following documents:
- Copies of the bills you are seeking assistance with
- Any available documentation to show proof of the incident
Payments cannot be made without copies of current bills or invoices (dated within the last 30 days).
I’m currently on a leave of absence from my job. Can I still apply for Melrose / Hoffman Critical Need Fund Fund?
Yes. You must be currently employed by The Toro Company. If you are on approved leave of absence for less than one year, you may apply for assistance.
I borrowed money from my friends and family to help me catch up on my bills. Will the Melrose / Hoffman Critical Need Fund reimburse me so that I can pay them back?
No. The Fund is available for those employees who do not have the means themselves or other resources available to pay their living expenses.
Can I apply on behalf of a co-worker?
Since many of the required information is specific to the employee in need, it would be difficult for a co-worker to submit a complete application. If you think a co-worker would benefit from our fund, please pass along this website or the phone number (612-672-3852) for the Minneapolis Foundation so he/she can follow up.