Community Financial Resources for Strikers

— guest post by Local 328 unit stewards Cam Boyd, Colleen Engel and Xylem Nilsen —

Recently, our union shared a post with tips for how to plan for and afford a strike. While there are some excellent ideas in the post, it’s important to acknowledge that some of our members have very limited resources and are already doing everything they can to stretch each paycheck to last until the next one. For these employees, the savings tips that were shared may have felt unhelpful or disheartening. We all deserve a society that ensures we have financial security; since our employer is falling short of providing this for us, we have compiled a list of additional resources that we hope will alleviate some of our folks’ financial stress. 

We hope you can find something in the below resources that you may be eligible for. You may even be able to access these resources now and set a little aside before a possible strike happens. In addition, if we can recruit enough volunteers, we hope to develop a plan for Local 328 members to show up for each other to assist with food distribution, mutual aid and navigating these resources. Please let us know if you are interested in helping us build these systems!

What worries do you have about your financial position during a strike? What support would be most helpful for you? Please let us know in the comments, and also add information on other resources that will be helpful for our community! (You can also email us if you prefer.)

Please note that many of these resources determine eligibility based on household income, using the federal poverty line as a reference. You can find out where your household falls in relation to the FPL by reviewing this PDF table. (Additional information about the FPL can be found here.)

General Resources

  • 211info — assistance with rent, utilities, child care, food, clothes and more (Note: You may also dial 211 on your cellphone and speak with a staff member; interpretation is available.)

  • Union Plus Hardship Help — assistance with mortgages, medical bills and more (Note: To be eligible for many of these resources, you must already have a mortgage, loan or credit card through Union Plus.)

  • Buy Nothing Project — community groups of neighbors giving away, lending and sharing things with one another (Note: You may search for and join your local Buy Nothing group on Facebook or via the Buy Nothing app.)

  • Findhelp — financial assistance, food pantries, medical care and other free or reduced-cost assistance

Food Assistance

Medical Expenses

  • Project Access NOW — assistance with medication costs and health-insurance premiums, for those with household income below 300% of the FPL

  • OHSU Patients — assistance with OHSU medical bills, for those with household income at or below 400% of the FPL

  • HealthWell Foundation — assistance with co-pays, health-insurance deductibles, medical supplies and more, for those with household income below 500% of the FPL

  • Many hospitals and clinics have financial resources available to assist patients with medical expenses, lodging and food costs associated with care, etc. Ask to speak with a social worker at your doctor’s office to find out what assistance might be available.

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