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Ujima Boston Resident & Worker Care Fund
Direct Investment To Individuals In The Ujima Network
Care Fund Update
In June 2021, the Massachusetts State of Emergency was declared over. While this termination has allowed for businesses to reopen at full capacity and eased restriction, it has also had significant implications on the aid available to those who are still being affected by the pandemic.
The Boston Ujima Project's Worker and Resident Care Fund is currently pausing applications, as the termination of the State of Emergency has changed eligibility requirements for the fund. In order to maintain compliance with IRS guidelines, we are updating our requirements. Applications that were submitted before June 15, 2021, will remain unaffected.
We will update our business and membership bodies as soon as the Worker and Resident Care Fund reopens.
Overview
Since Ujima’s formal launch (2017) members and supporters have inquired about the possibility of Ujima setting up a vehicle for direct support for individuals in our communities. Noting that these requests were, and are, an indication of community needs and desires, we knew that at some point down the line in Ujima’s development we would either partner with a pre-existing vehicle, or develop one ourselves, but first focusing on completing the development and implementation of the Ujima Fund.
“Necessity is the mother of invention.” Such is the case with our decision to now accelerate the development of a direct support fund for individuals in our communities after yet another request from Ujima members and supporters. In alignment with needs and offerings from Ujima members and supporters, Ujima was able to identify criteria for this fund to add to the existing mutual aid constellation.
While this is a structure borne out of this moment, we intend for this to be a continual resource available to members and workers in the Ujima network moving forward.
Ujima means "collective work and responsibility." We are pleased to offer the Ujima Boston Resident and Worker Care Fund, in accompaniment with Ujima’s other strategies -- the Ujima Fund, the Ujima Good Business Alliance, Ujima’s Technical Assistance Network, Ujima’s Neighborhood Assembly process, Ujima’s Anchor Institution strategy, Ujima’s Arts and Cultural organizing strategy and most importantly, Ujima’s active membership body -- towards a Boston in which relationships, individual, business, government and community, are governed by mutual respect for our collective well-being.
Who Is Eligible?
Ujima Boston Worker and Resident Care Fund will issue one-time payments to approved applicants per calendar year.
Eligible applicants include:
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Ujima Voting Members (Ujima Members who are residents of Boston proper. To learn more about how to become a member follow this link.)
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Workers of Businesses We Love