Postal Employees Relief Fund Helps USPS Katrina Victims

October 27, 2005

By John Buhl

The Postal Employees Relief Fund (PERF) was established in 1990 in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo to help U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employees affected by natural disasters. With the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina, PERF will provide much needed assistance to active and retired USPS workers and their families who suffered significant property damage.

PERF provides grants ranging from $2,000 to $35,000 to use for rebuilding homes and replacing lost personal belongings.

Postal employees on the payroll at the time of the disaster are eligible to receive grants, as are immediate family members residing in the same primary residence. Retired postal employees who retire through proper channels (Form 50 – Notice of Personnel Action) and are victims of natural events on or after Dec. 18, 2003, also qualify.

The fund can provide reimbursement for personal property not fully covered by insurance or warranty for up to 50 percent of the replacement value.

Eligible items include an employee’s primary residence, motor vehicle, furniture and household appliances. Luxury items and collectibles are not eligible under PERF guidelines.

On Sept. 6, Postmaster General John E. Potter and the USPS made a $250,000 donation to the fund. Information on how to donate to PERF, additional qualification guidelines and grant applications are available at www.postalrelief.com.

FEEA Child Care and Student Loan Repayments

The Federal Employee Education & Assistance (FEEA) Fund has provided child care tuition assistance to lower-income federal employees for the past five years. FEEA recently announced that subsidies paid to grant applicants are expected to reach $5 million for fiscal year 2005. FEEA signed a contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2001 to administer the fund. Since then, agency commitment to the fund has increased 200 percent, with FEEA now providing services to 22 federal agencies. FEEA was founded in 1986 by the Senior Executives Association, the National Treasury Employees Union, the National Federation of Federal Employees and the National Council of Social Security Management Associations. For more, visit: www.feea.org.