FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
- Applicant FAQs
- Donor FAQs
- Foundation FAQs
Applicant FAQs
What types of hardships qualify for assistance?
Qualifying emergency situations that are causing a hardship include, but are not limited to:
- Emergency medical treatment not covered by insurance
- Natural disaster relief pertaining to essentials (shelter, food and clothing) not covered by insurance
- Assistance with unexpected funeral expenses which affect the ability to afford essential living expenses
Other emergency situations may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Who is eligible to apply?
Drivers, Employees and Independent Contractors who currently work for one of the Anderson Family of Companies may request emergency help. This includes Anderson Trucking Service, Sureway Transportation, Warren Transport, Midwest Specialized Transportation, SunBelt Furniture Xpress and Freightliner of St. Cloud.
Who determines if my application is eligible for assistance?
Fully completed applications will be reviewed against the Foundation eligibility criteria by the Foundation’s governing committee.
Can I apply for assistance if a family member is in need?
If an Anderson Employee, Driver or Independent Contractor is impacted by an emergency of a family member, they may be eligible for hardship assistance. Typically this assistance is limited to emergencies involving financially dependent family
members.
What information is required to apply for assistance?
The application for assistance requires the applicant to provide general contact information, details about the hardship
scenario and an explanation of specific needs. If the application is approved, additional documentation of the needs may also be required, including invoices and payment details.
Can I submit an application for someone else?
If at all possible, it is best for the eligible individual to apply on their own. If this is not possible, please contact the applicant’s manager to submit the application.
How much can I apply for?
The Foundation aims to assist during hardship scenarios, not completely alleviate the hardship. The Foundation maximum disbursement is $5,000 per hardship, and annual (12 month rolling period) maximum funding per individual/family is limited to $10,000. See a Foundation Representative for more information.
Where else can I go to get assistance?
While the Foundation’s goal is to help as many people as possible, available funds are limited. As such, the Foundation cannot address and/or completely alleviate all hardships. If you need assistance beyond what the Foundation can provide, we recommend contacting your local United Way, Salvation Army or other humanitarian organization(s) for financial or housing support.
How would my grant be distributed?
For approved applications, the Foundation will disburse funds directly to verified vendors or directly to a person in extreme emergency situations.
What is the turnaround time once I submit a completed application?
Once an application is submitted and all required information is provided, a funding decision is typically made within 48 hours by the Foundation’s governing committee.
How often can I submit an application?
There are no limits on the number of application submissions. However, please be aware that:
- Abuse of the Foundation via insincere or fraudulent applications may prevent the applicant from use of the Foundation.
- All applications are held to the same emergency scenario funding criteria.
- Per-occurence and annual maximum funding limits per individual/family apply.
How can I tell the story of how the Foundation has helped me?
Telling others about how the Foundation positively impacted your life will raise awareness about the Foundation, increasing the Foundation’s ability to both raise funds and distribute resources to those in need. We’d love for you to share your story on our Story Submission page.
Donor FAQs
How can I contribute?
There are many ways to donate to the Anderson Assistance Foundation:
- You can donate by credit card, check or by setting up your Amazon Smile account to distribute to the Foundation. Please visit our Donation page for more information.
- Shop and office employees at participating locations will have the ability to set up a recurring donation that is taken out of their payroll checks in equal installments. Participating locations include all St. Cloud ATS businesses, ATS Logistics, ATS International, Warren Transport, Midwest Specialized Transportation, SunBelt Furniture Xpress, New Energy Transport and Freightliner of St. Cloud, If you have questions, please contact your local payroll or human resources representative. Stay tuned for updates in the future that will allow settlement deductions for Company Drivers and Independent Contractors.
Is my contribution tax deductible?
Yes. Since the Anderson Assistance Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) organization, your donations are tax deductible. Contact your tax adviser for more details.
How is the Foundation funded?
The Foundation is funded through corporate giving and donations from Anderson Family of Companies Employees, Drivers, Independent Contractors and the general public. At least one-third of the Foundation funding must come from non-corporate donations, per Federal non-profit regulations. The more you donate, the more the Foundation can support Anderson Family of Companies Employees, Drivers and Independent Contractors during times of hardship.
How do I get a receipt for my donation?
Receipts will be immediately available following credit card donations. Regardless of how you donated, a year-end tax receipt will be sent to the contact information provided at the time of your donation.
Can I create a recurring donation?
Recurring donations may be set up for credit card (PayPal) donations. Shop and office employees at participating locations will also have the ability to set up a recurring donation taken out of their payroll checks in equal installments. Stay tuned for updates in the future that will allow settlement deductions for Company Drivers and Independent Contractors.
Can my donation be directed to a specific hardship?
Not at this time. Currently all donations go to the general fund which is distributed based on Foundation guidelines as determined by Foundation committee procedures. Donating to specific hardship scenarios may be possible in the future.
Are payroll deductions taken before-tax or after-tax?
Shop and office employees at participating locations have the ability to set up a recurring donation to be taken out of their payroll checks in equal installments. These deductions are taken after-tax. The Anderson Assistance Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) organization, so donations are tax deductible. Please contact your tax adviser for details.
Can I change the payroll deduction that I set up?
Yes. If you have questions about your current payroll deduction or if you would like to make a change to this deduction, please contact your payroll administrator.
Can I deduct my Amazon Smile donations?
No. Amazon Smile donations are made by the Amazon organization based on your purchases. These donations are deductible by Amazon, not the customer. See the donate page for more information about how Amazon Smile works.
Foundation FAQs
What is the Anderson Assistance Foundation?
The Anderson Assistance Foundation exists to provide emergency financial assistance for Employees, Drivers and Independent Contractors in times of hardship across the Anderson Family of Companies.
Why was the Foundation created?
The people of the Anderson Family of Companies have long supported one another during difficult times. In an effort to preserve a legacy of support through times of hardship and have funds continually available when needs arise, the Anderson Assistance Foundation was created in 2019.
Does the Foundation give to other causes outside the Anderson Family of Companies?
This Foundation is solely focused on supporting Anderson Companies Employees, Drivers and Independent Contractors during critical times of hardship. The Anderson Companies and their employees give support to many other worthy causes, but this Foundation intentionally has a single focus to maximize impact.
Is this a nonprofit organization?
Yes, the Anderson Assistance Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the Internal Revenue Service.
What is the Heart Committee?
The Anderson Assistance Foundation came to life for the sole purpose of providing support to Employees, Drivers and Contractors of the Anderson Family of Companies during times of hardship. In order to help the Foundation most effectively fulfill its mission, daily decision making, fundraising and administration is managed by a small group of employees representing each of the Anderson Family of Companies called the Heart Committee.
Current members of the Heart Committee can be found on the contact page.
Heart Committee membership is not permanent; in order to ensure broad and consistent representation of the Anderson Family of Companies, new members will be rotated in on an ongoing basis.