covid-19 emergency relief fund
Goal:
In response to the COVID-19 virus and resulting economic crisis and national lockdown, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School seeks to create a COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund to meet the short- and mid-term needs of its students, families, and staff and to adapt the school to meet the changes based on the current health crisis.
The COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund:
The Bernard Zell Board of Trustees unanimously approved the creation of a COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund in light of the many and varied hardships families are facing due to COVID-19. The Board is committed to supporting families through this time with the goal of emerging as a stronger community.
All current families are eligible to apply for emergency assistance and approval efforts will follow the school’s Tuition Assistance processes. The fund is intended to support families through partial, short-term tuition relief. A COVID-19 hardship would include but are not limited to job loss or reduction of income, additional expenses such as medical care, child care, or eldercare, or changes in living situations due to COVID-19. Both families already receiving Tuition Assistance, as well as those who have never received an award, are eligible.
In addition to providing Tuition Assistance, the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund will support the school’s effort to remain sustainable despite the unanticipated economic challenges. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, school leadership was able to implement significant, purposeful efficiencies to achieve a balanced operating budget for the 2020-2021 academic year, while also raising $19.1M in philanthropic funds to build a brand-new facility necessary to compete with the top independent schools in Chicago. Like so many independent schools and non-profit institutions, however, the current situation leaves us anticipating an unexpected short- and mid-term financial crisis. The school will be faced with several areas of unbudgeted expense as well as revenues significantly below budget projections.
Unexpected Additional Expenses
Due to the current health crisis of COVID-19, the school must adapt some of its practices (food service, hallway flow, Nurse/health services) to meet the changing operational guidelines. In order to maintain the safety of our students, faculty and families and open our campus we anticipate incurring several unanticipated expenses.
Unanticipated expenses include: Personal Protective Equipment, increase in individualized supplies, building modifications, increased cleaning services, additional furniture, proper ventilation and air purification systems, additional professional development and materials for teachers
Funds raised will support these investments and offset the projected revenue loss due to COVID-19.
