We know that some members of our community may be experiencing financial hardship that affects their ability to pay for food, shelter, rent, or other necessities right now because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our new COVID-19 Emergency Financial Assistance Fund (“CEFAF”) will address the needs of certain members of our community who need emergency financial assistance due to immediate and significant financial hardship related to the U.S. COVID-19 pandemic by providing a one-time $250 micro grant to the recipient.

Emergency financial assistance is available for qualifying applicants who are unable to pay their basic living expenses (food/housing/health care) over the next few months. We ask that if you have the resources to cover that period, please do not apply. These are unprecedented times and we all must steward our resources very carefully.

Our profound gratitude to the Abel Family for releasing their very generous 2019 donation to the Dreams for Danny: Surgical Evaluation Travel Scholarship to also provide seed funding for this micro grant program.

The program will be available 4/1/20 through 06/30/20, until available funds are distributed and longer if needed depending on funds available. If you are a supporter of our mission and have the means, please make even a small donation to help us rise to this occasion. If this program receives additional funding, it will be expanded to serve a wider geographic reach and may add additional qualifying categories of recipients.

Who can apply?  

You must meet all three of the following qualifications in order to apply:

1. Currently reside in the United States or one of its territories;
2. You are:
   1. a parent or legal guardian of a minor child who is scheduled to or has had epilepsy surgery on any day from 4/1/20 through 5/1/20, or is in a post-surgery rehabilitation unit; or
   2. a parent or legal guardian who lives with a minor child who has had epilepsy surgery, you have received a positive diagnosis of COVID-19, and you are under self-isolation or hospitalized as a result (a proxy can apply on your behalf if you are unable to apply); or
   3. the legal guardian of an adult who had epilepsy surgery in childhood, you have received a positive diagnosis of COVID-19, and you are under self-isolation or hospitalized as a result (a proxy can apply on your behalf if you are unable to apply); or
   4. an adult who had epilepsy surgery in childhood (a proxy can apply on your behalf if you are unable to apply or if you are under legal guardianship).
3. You are experiencing immediate and significant financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For what purposes may I use the funds?  

Funds may be used for food and basic essential supplies, transportation costs (such as for gas, Uber/Lyft ride to run essential errands such to the grocery or obtain medication, etc.), interim housing and shelter during hospital or rehabilitation stay, primary health care services, utilities, mortgage or rent payments, and child care. 

Funds may not be used for federal, state, or local tax payments, including property tax payments, past-due child support payments, fines/legal fees associated with a civil or criminal offense with which the recipient has been charged (for example, traffic tickets or help you to retain an attorney because you’ve been sued or charged with a crime), credit card bills, the cost of filing for bankruptcy or making scheduled bankruptcy payments, or luxury goods/services of any kind (for example, the cost of replacing a broken television).

How will the money be distributed? 

This emergency cache of funds is limited to providing electronic funds transfer to the recipient’s bank account or an appropriate virtual or mailed gift card (such as for a local or national grocery store, general merchandise retailer, pharmacy) at the recipient’s choice.

Other restrictions  Only one application per household. Current staff and volunteers of The Brain Recovery Project as well as prior recipients of the Dreams for Danny Surgical Evaluation Travel Scholarship are ineligible. Criteria and selection of recipients is at the sole and absolute discretion of The Brain Recovery Project. 

How do I apply?  There are many ways you can apply:

• Apply online below, or
• Print and download this application and mail it to us; or
• Call us at +1-833-675-3335 and leave a message – we’ll call you back and complete the application over the phone with you.

Depending on your qualification category, we ask for documentation of any COVID-19 diagnosis, furlough, termination, or lay-off notice from your employer, if you can provide it. If you do not have these, an email to us from your health care provider is acceptable as well. We may contact you to discuss your application.