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Sometimes people just need a helping hand. An accident and injury may push an owner operator into a financial predicament. Others may be suffering from health problems or a family health crisis that keeps them off the road for longer than expected. For many of our clients, a few weeks out of work causes terrible financial repercussions. Others could use help conquering chronic health issues like diabetes or smoking, which would then prevent future hardships. St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund offers help in these situations.
Financial Help
Importantly, they help drivers and their families with financial issues related to medical needs. In one of the testimonials, a woman’s husband was diagnosed with cancer and could no longer drive. SCF was able to pay their rent. You can find many stories like this on their website linked above.
SCF will try their best to help the trucker in need with things like utilities, rent, and mortgages. Since 2008, over $3.9 million has been given on behalf of more than 3387 drivers. So far, 51% went towards rent/mortgages, 16% to utilities, 21% for vehicles, and 12% to insurance.
Healthy Living Programs
Another part of this organization’s mission is to provide health and wellness programs that will benefit professional drivers and the trucking industry. Their health and wellness plan includes: “Rig without Cigs” to create a tobacco-free environment, “Driven to be Heathy” to promote whole body wellness through a 12-week program, and “Driving Down Diabetes” to prevent diabetes via a year-long CDC approved program.
Further, SCF helps truckers get necessary vaccinations if they are uninsured. They also offer free prescription cards, available to drivers and their families to help with medication expenses. This organization wants truckers all over the nation to be the healthiest they can be while also helping those in need.
Eligibility for Assistance
This charity is not faith-based and will help any American over-the-road or regional trucker driver (Class A) who faces financial problems due to a medical problem that arose in the last year. Sometimes SCF can meet all your current needs, other times they are able to put you in contact with different resources and charities to help drivers with any issue that may occur. All professional drivers are eligible for the previously mentioned programs to promote a healthy lifestyle.
Charity Facts
Interestingly, 75-77% of donations remain allocated to driver support. SCF’s board of directors serve voluntarily. Their paid staff consists of 6 people, some of whom are part-time. SCF receives more than 50% of it’s funds from individuals with the remaining income coming from corporate sponsors. You can donate through their website quite easily.
St. Christopher Fund attended the Mid-America Trucking Show to raise donations and awareness of their programs. In addition to their traditional methods of fund raising, they held a silent auction during the show. Eckert & Associates, PA proudly donated an item for the auction. The auction raised $6585, which Heartland Express matched. In total, SCF raised $15,591 at MATS.
In short, all professional truck drivers should be familiar with St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund. You or someone you know may have a need one day. In the meantime, this may be a charity that you want to support.
Most of the information in this article comes from the Media Kit available at https://truckersfund.org/sponsors/.