by Lex Thomas
Tough economic conditions have become synonymous with the times in which we live. Gone are the days when each generation could count on being better off than the last, and when hard work and a decent education were virtual guarantees of prosperity and a privileged lifestyle.
More often than not, even those who enjoy some degree of financial stability live in fear of some downturn – job loss or a medical crisis, for instance – that could wipe out whatever savings they may have, putting home and family needs at risk. That anyone could face a financial emergency at any time has become a fact of life.
In 2012, the Sterling Neighbor to Neighbor Fund was established to help Sterling residents experiencing difficult economic times. Intended as “a hand up, not a handout,” the fund can help families and individuals with essential living costs, such as housing and utilities.
The Neighbor to Neighbor Fund originated as an idea by Sterling residents Kevin and Marilyn Beaupre. Their generous initial donation helped to launch their vision. Former Sterling resident Lisa Call ran the program under the auspices of the Board of Selectmen. However, the Board subsequently decided to connect the fund to another organization, so that donors could get a tax benefit. The fund is now affiliated with WHEAT Community Connections in Clinton, a United Way organization, and is administered by the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund Committee in cooperation with WHEAT Community Connections. Committee members, one from the Board of Selectmen and one from the Finance Committee, as well as a Fund Community Representative (appointed by the Board of Selectmen), will be appointed each year.
Recently, Patrick Fox, a retired judge and resident of Sterling since 1978, became Community Representative for the fund. “My wife and I have lived here for a long time,” he says. “We raised our children here. I’m very fond of Sterling. When I heard the Board of Selectmen was seeking a community representative, I decided to apply.”
One of Fox’s first goals is to make people aware of the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund. “I’ve been surprised that so many people in town have never heard of it,” he says. “I want people to know that the segment of the community that needs help with a financial emergency can get it.”
The process begins when a Sterling resident facing economic hardship submits an application, which can be obtained from the Office of the Executive Assistant, located in the Butterick Municipal Building, or downloaded from the town website at sterling-ma.gov/board-of-selectmen/pages/neighbor-to-neighbor-fund.
As the fund’s Community Representative, Fox receives and reviews each application, conducts an investigation, meets with the applicant, then meets with the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund Committee to consider the application. In addition to Fox, current committee members are John Kilcoyne (Board of Selectmen) and Joseph Sova (Finance Committee).
A unanimous vote is required in order to approve an application. “The fund isn’t designed to be a means of support, but rather to help families facing an economic crisis or some financial challenge,” says Fox. “A unanimous vote helps us to ensure that an application is compelling enough to warrant funding.”
The fund has a number of guidelines and requirements that applicants must meet in order to qualify for assistance. An applicant must be a resident of Sterling for a minimum of one year. No single payout can exceed $1,200, and no applicant can draw from the fund more than twice in a lifetime. No applicant can receive assistance twice within a six-month period. The maximum amount of assistance that any applicant can receive from the fund is $2,400.
Since 2012, over 40 families have received assistance from the fund to help pay tax bills, utilities, housing, insurance, and, in some cases, medical expenses. “We wouldn’t be inclined to cover a cable bill,” says Fox. “This is meant to help with essential living expenses.”
Fox emphasizes that the process is anonymous. “All information is treated as confidential and is only shared with the committee,” he says. “In the current economic climate, people can find themselves in economic need due to any number of reasons outside their control. The committee knows and understands that.”
Because the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund is voluntary, rather than being a government-funded program, it depends on the generosity of donors. One of the most innovative donation strategies has been implemented by the Sterling Municipal Light Department with their N-2-N Roundup Fund. The program, which is strictly voluntary, allows customers to round their monthly electric bill to the nearest dollar.
According to Fox, the roundup program has generated over $6,000 to date. “For every account, that adds up to less than $12 per year,” he says.
As SMLD General Manager Sean Hamilton says in his note to customers included with their electric bill, “The Roundup Program is a way that you can give a little to help a lot.”
Donations to the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund can be made by sending a check to the Office of the Executive Assistant, 1 Park St., Sterling, MA, 01564, or by dropping a check into the payment box located outside of the Butterick Municipal Building. Include a notation that the donation is for the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund. No cash donations are accepted.
Photo by Lex Thomas: Patrick Fox