UAB's primary vehicle for charitable giving is its Benevolent Fund, which was created by employees to help the community. It benefits more than 120 local nonprofits as well as the UAB Employee Emergency Assistance Program.
1. Employee contributions to the Benevolent Fund allow UAB to do more for local nonprofits than if the gifts were made independently.
The impact from UAB employees collectively giving makes a huge difference, versus employees giving an individual donation to agencies. When you give through the Benevolent Fund, it shows the nonprofits we support that UAB employees value their work in our community. All gifts are graciously accepted and appreciated in any amount, and giving is made easy through payroll deduction. In 2015, employees pledged approximately $1.9 million to the Benevolent Fund, and the goal for 2016 is $2 million.
2. Employees may designate where their gift goes further building community between UAB and the agencies it benefits.
Benevolent Fund donations may be designated for a particular nonprofit from among the 120 that the fund benefits. In 31 years of giving, UAB employees have directed $26.6 million to local nonprofits. UAB has productive partnerships with the nonprofits we support with grant awards made to UAB health researchers and nonprofits that care for people in our community including our employees, patients and students.
3. The fund provides assistance to employees in need through the Employee Emergency Assistance Program (EEAP).
In the past 31 years through 4,207 awards, UAB has provided over $3.6 million in direct financial assistance to employees through the EEAP. Those in need of assistance should contact the Benevolent Fund to see if they qualify either for medical reasons or due to circumstances such as fire, tornado, or other hardship. 
4. The Benevolent Fund is partnering with Habitat for Humanity to build our third home.
In 2014 and 2015, 992 employees and students volunteers over 4,500 hours to help build our UAB-sponsored Habitat for Humanity Houses. In the fall of 2016, we will sponsor our next Habitat House, which amounts to $50,000 – the equivalent of each employee donating $2.50 to the Benevolent Fund. There will be multiple opportunities for employees to volunteer individually or as a group for this project. Those interested in volunteering should contact the Benevolent Fund office.
5. UAB employees can help bring a Ronald McDonald Family Room (RMFR) to UAB WIC.
UAB employees have been challenged to help bring a RMFR to UAB offering additional support to the families of our littlest patients. RMFR volunteers will staff the room 7 days a week providing nutritious snacks and occasional meals to families. Families will now be offered additional educational opportunities and therapeutic outlets that otherwise cannot be consistently provided.
For more information or to donate to the Benevolent Fund, visit uab.edu/benfund. For questions, call 934-1581 or email benevolentfund@uab.edu.