The Advocate Health Teammate Emergency Fund provides teammates with financial assistance when they have suffered a hardship caused by catastrophic events beyond their control. The Fund is available to teammates across the enterprise including Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin.
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The Advocate Health Teammate Emergency Fund was established in 2025 as a result of the combination of the Atrium Health Caregiver Heroes Teammate Emergency Care Fund and the Midwest Teammate Crisis Funds. These funds were originally established in 2020 to support frontline teammates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, over $7 million has been distributed to more than 6,000 teammates. This would not be possible without the generosity of hospital leaders, teammates, and other donors who contribute to the Fund each year.
The Fund is managed by E4E Relief, a trusted non-profit organization, with over two decades of experience in administering employee relief funds. E4E Relief manages the application process including making award decisions and processing grant payments.
Teammates can both contribute to and apply for assistance through the Fund. Eligible teammates and qualifying events are outlined below. Our goal is to ensure that no teammate faces hardship alone, and that help is available when it's needed most.
Teammates may receive assistance through the Teammate Emergency Fund if they have experienced a covered qualifying event and meet the following criteria:
The Teammate Emergency Fund currently considers financial hardships caused by:
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*Housing Crisis refers to situations where a landlord sells a home without proper notice, or a rental unit is unexpectedly condemned or foreclosed. Eviction without these specific events does not qualify as a Housing Crisis.
**Loss of income refers to a reduction in household income due to a spouse, partner, or other contributing member unexpectedly losing a job or experiencing a reduction in income (e.g., layoff, medical accident). It does not apply to a teammate’s reduction in hours, decision to leave a second job, or divorce/separation.
Grants are designed to provide monetary assistance to cover basic needs and may only be provided toward expenses that are the result of a specific event that has occurred. Each application will be considered on an individual basis. Income guidelines may apply.
Advocate Health has partnered with E4E Relief to administer the Fund. With more than a decade of experience serving clients, E4E Relief is the nation’s leading provider of employee disaster and hardship funds and is dedicated to helping Advocate Health support teammates in need.
After reviewing the eligibility requirements above and gathering supporting documentation, teammates may apply directly through E4E by visiting AdvocateHealth.e4erelief.org.
If visiting the site for the first time, teammates must register with their full name and Employee ID. Account verification may take up to 48 business hours. Once verified, you will receive an email with login instructions and next steps to submit an application.
You can find a list of frequently asked questions and application tips by visiting the E4E Applicant Resource Center.
E4E Relief is a 501c3 non-profit organization who has two decades of experience administering employee relief funds like ours. To provide an enhanced and streamlined applicant experience for all teammates while ensuring confidentiality, the decision was made to transition from internal management to E4E. E4E Relief will receive applications, review submitted requests and supporting documents, interview applicants as appropriate, make award determinations and process grant payments to teammates.
The application process is managed by E4E Relief. After your application has been submitted, you will receive an email confirming your application has been received. A grant specialist will review your application and let you know if more information is needed. The average review period is five business days. Incomplete applications will result in longer processing times. If approved, a grant distribution will be made based on your payment preference selected in your applicant profile.
To qualify for financial assistance, teammates must have experienced a qualifying event as outlined above. Examples of events that are not covered include:
Teammates may receive assistance for rent if they have experienced a qualifying event listed above; however, facing eviction alone is not considered a qualifying event.
Yes. As a third-party provider, E4E Relief administers the program. Information collected on the application and during the interview process is kept confidential. Your information and application are not shared with Advocate Health. If you would like to share your story about the assistance you received from the Fund, please email TeammateCareFund@AdvocateHealth.org.
Grant awards are based on need and will vary according to each teammate’s application and the expenses submitted. Recipients may receive only one grant from the Fund per catastrophic event.
To be eligible for support related to a personal hardship (excluding domestic abuse and death), an applicant’s total household income must be less than 1.5 times the state median income for their state of residence.
Teammates are welcome to submit testimonials to TeammateCareFund@AdvocateHealth.org. Your name and any other identifying factors will be removed before your story is shared.
The program is funded through a combination of teammate contributions from the Advocate Health Gives Campaign, investments from Advocate Health, and contributions from other donors.
To ensure we can always provide a rapid response to disaster and hardships, teammates have the opportunity to contribute to the Fund. Donations are voluntary, and every contribution, no matter the size, makes a meaningful impact. The success and sustainability of the Fund depend on the generosity of our team. Advocate Health covers all administrative costs, ensuring that 100% of donations go directly to supporting teammates in crisis. Donations can be made through payroll deduction, credit card, check, or stock. Visit https://e4erelief.powerappsportals.com/en-US/advocatehome/give/ to make a donation today!
Each year, teammates may give to the Fund via payroll deduction during the Advocate Health Gives campaign. You may also donate year-round via credit card, donor advised fund, and through other means by visiting https://e4erelief.powerappsportals.com/en-US/advocatehome/give/. Donations are tax-deductible.
Contact Advocate Health
If you have questions regarding your Employee ID or employment eligibility status, please contact TeammateCareFund@AdvocateHealth.org.
Contact E4E Relief
If you have questions regarding your application, please contact E4E at AdvocateHealth@e4erelief.org or call (833)-880-2197. You can find a list of frequently asked questions and application tips by visiting the E4E Applicant Resource Center.
To ensure Advocate Health can always provide a rapid response to disaster and hardships, teammates have the opportunity to contribute to the Fund. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a meaningful impact.
I would like to start out by saying how blessed I truly am to work for a company that believes and cherishes their employees. It is an honor to work with others that truly know the meaning of helping their employees succeed. I am so thankful for the Emergency Fund and the support so graciously provided to myself. I have been able to catch myself up on my bills and provide my home with food. The stress has been lifted from my shoulders. I thank each person that had a hand in this decision and will forever be blessed to work at Advocate Health.
- Emergency Fund Grant Recipient (2024)
The Teammate Emergency Fund is just one of many support programs available to Advocate Health Teammates. Click below to learn more about additional programs and resources.
Help Now
Through our Help NOW program, you can connect with a Teammate Support Strategist dedicated to supporting teammates' needs and providing connections to resources such as food, basic needs, internet access, and more. Help NOW is currently available in South Chicagoland with plans for future Midwest expansion.
Findhelp: Confidential Search for Community Resources Teammates may visit Findhelp to search for free or reduced cost services such food, housing, transportation, and more.
