Union Plus Benefits--Beyond Scholarships

In a previous post, we discussed scholarships available to union members and their families.  But there are more benefits available to union members. AFL-CIO members can find out about other  benefits at the Union Plus website. Some are for holders of Union Plus credit cards, or Union Plus mortgages. These include small grants of your union has been on strike, or if you have become disabled, been hospitalized, or suffered a natural disaster.  Check out this page for more information.

Families of AFL-CIO members may be eligible for some benefits, too, such as scholarships, discounts on wireless phone service, rebates on heating oil, and various discounts on car rentals, medical bill negotiating services, health club memberships, and more. The whole list and eligible family members are listed here. For more information, call 1-800-472-2005.

If you aren't a member of the AFL-CIO, but another union, check out your own union website for information.

More Scholarships by Labor Unions

Just in time for Labor Day--and a couple of days before I march in downtown Toledo with my brothers and sisters in the Association of Public Library Employees--is a few more scholarships offered by unions and their foundations.  Awhile back, I wrote about the Union Plus scholarships, available for the members and dependents of unions in the AFL-CIO fold.  But there's more.

The actor's union, SAG-AFTRA, has a foundation that offers small scholarships for their members and dependents (up to $2500).  The George Heller Memorial Scholarships may be given for any field of study, or for study in the performing arts. 

For members, children, or grandchildren of the Teamsters union, the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarships are available.  While the deadline for this year's scholarship are over, there is also an essay contest for the children and grandkids with a deadline of September 30th, 2013.  The details are here.  It's a 500 word essay.

Besides the scholarships offered through Union Plus, AFSCME also offers family scholarships for the children just finishing high school whose parent, guardian or supporting grandparent is an AFSCME member.  Ten scholarships of $2000 are offered per year.  See this site for more information.

Some Emergency Help from Employers, Unions, Etc.--Groups Taking Care of Their Own

When disaster strikes, the Red Cross and other disaster aid agencies rush to assist, but what other help could one possibly get?  How about from their employers or union?  Or professional organization?  Some large organizations do indeed help their own.

Among employers, the employees of Jack in the Box fast food restaurants can be eligible for assistance from the Jack in the Box Foundation from natural or personal disasters.  Employees of Food Lion may be eligible for grants of up to $500 if they can provide evidence of need.  The Office Depot Foundation offers aid to employees who have suffered from natural disasters.

At least two unions, the Teamsters and the Communication Workers of America, offer disaster relief grants for members who have been hit by natural disasters.  And the National Automobile Dealers Association and the National Association of Realtors does the same for members of their professional associations. 

It's not exactly a professional organization, but the Craft Emergency Relief Fund gives grants and loans to craft artists who have suffered "career-threatening emergencies."  Besides loans and grants, they provide some forms of "brokered assistance," including discounted rates on materials and discounted or waived booth fees.  See the website for more information.

When You Think of Scholarships, Look for the Union Label

Part of my job as the Grant Godess at the library involves asking frankly nosey questions.  And when money is involved, there's no question too nosey.  Queries that would get me slapped with a Title VII lawsuit if I were in an HR office are perfectly within my comfort zone.  And patrons put up with them, because it means they are getting a good frisking for cash.

 Like, your ethnic group.  Or your religion, or where you work.  If you are looking for scholarship money for yourself or your child, the workplace could be a major factor.  Do you know if your employer does tuition reimbursements?  They may.  Do they offer competitive scholarships to the children of employees?  If they are big enough, that's possible, too.

Union affiliation may help also.  Several larger unions, and some union locals, may offer scholarships to members or their children.  I did a post quite awhile ago on the Union Plus scholarships for the family members of AFL-CIO's affiliated unions.  But several unions within that umbrella have their own scholarship programs, like the American Federation of Teachers (for dependents), and the United Food and Commercial Workers (both members and their families), and AFSME (members and their dependents). So if you are eligible for the Union Plus, check your own union, as well as your local, or possible additional scholarships. 

Some other unions that offer scholarships are: the Ohio Civil Service Employees (dependents), SEIU (members and their families), the American Postal Worker's Union (children and grandchildren of members), and UAW employees of Ford/Visteon.  But there are many more out there.  Make your own nosey inquiries at least a year before you or your child wish to start college.

Some Places to Look for a Scholarship...

…would be the local community foundation, especially for young people in high school who are looking into the future. The best time to start checking for scholarships is in your junior year of high school, when you still have time to check out all the possibilities and easily beat deadlines. Most grants from community foundations go to nonprofit groups, but many groups or individuals also give money to community foundations to administer their scholarship programs. For instance, the Toledo Community Foundation administers scholarships for Muslim students pursuing a journalism degree, students pursuing a degree in electrical engineering, and local students studying music, particularly jazz, and other scholarships.

Often, the scholarships they manage are for students in the nearby geographic area, so the trick is to find the community foundation near you. The Council on Foundations makes this easy with their community foundation locator.

Other possible sources of funds are service clubs in your area, like the Kiwanis or the Rotary. These clubs often give small grants to groups or scholarships to individual students. One place to look for service clubs is to start with the big groups and find your local chapter. You can start with the Google directory for such clubs, and inquire at your local library as well.

Don’t forget your place of work, or union. Large employers may have competitive scholarships for employees or their children. The same is true of your union. For family members of participating unions, the Union Plus scholarships are available, opening for applications in the fall. Many unions are a part of this network. See this site to find out if your union is part of this network, and if you might benefit.