This fund is derived entirely from the designated gifts received by Peninsula Community Chapel (PCC) individuals.  These funds are used primarily for short term financial emergency assistance experienced by individuals who are connected to PCC through regular attendance, membership or affiliated ministries like Friends of Refugees or PCC’s Home Groups.  The HHBF is also used to financially support THRIVE Peninsula, Inc. , an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving the VA Peninsula, which exists to address and meet both short and long term assistance needs including financial aid, counseling, budget management, etc. For those requiring assistance but who don’t attend PCC or an affiliated ministry on a regular basis, THRIVE is the agency to which these needs are referred. In general practice, PCC  normally contributes 1/3 of its HHBF monthly income to THRIVE unless the Director of Administration or Board of Elders determine the needs of PCC congregants are significant enough to warrant a reduction in the percentage to THRIVE for a season. Likewise, if the HHBF grows considerably with no known immediate needs of the PCC congregation, the elders reserve the right to designate a larger gift from the fund to support THRIVE or similar services.
 
The HHBF is administered by the Benevolence Committee with assistance from the Financial Administrator on an as needed basis.  The Benevolence Committee shall consist of the Director of Administration, a Board of Elders member and the Mercy Ministry leader. Additional members may be added to the committee as circumstances warrant. Requests are initially evaluated by one of the committee members for compliance with this policy and then coordinated with the other members when the request is deemed valid. When circumstances preclude full coordination by all committee members, the Director of Administration or the Lead Pastor may approve funds disbursement up to $250 and back brief the committee.
 
Applicants for financial assistance are awarded financial assistance based on financial need. Applicants are not granted financial assistance based on relationships between the applicant and church leaders or significant church contributors. The church does not discriminate applicants based upon race, color, sex, national origin, age, geographic territory, or disability. However, the church reserves the right to discriminate based on religion.
 
The Benevolence Committee may provide short-term (emergency) assistance and longer-term aid to ensure that victims have the basic necessities such as food, clothing, housing, transportation, and medical assistance (including psychological counseling). The preferred method of providing assistance will be to pay the applicant’s needs directly to a business provider. Assistance may also be provided in the form of cash grants or vouchers for goods or services. The type of aid that is appropriate depends on the individual's needs and available resources.
 
If an individual or a couple receives funds from the Helping Hand fund, the committee members in contact will encourage the individual(s) to reimburse the fund in the future if at all possible.  Additionally, the individual(s) will be requested to submit to Chapel authority to include meeting with a PCC budget counselor when appropriate and / or participation in a financial planning and management course. If, after receiving funds from the HHBF, the individual(s) refuse(s) to follow through with the prescribed financial counseling / training, additional funds will not be provided.

If the HHBF is unable to adequately meet the needs of a regular attendee of PCC, a member of the Benevolence Committee, PCC budget counselor and/or other elders will assist the individual(s) to make contact with other support organizations (like THRIVE) that can potentially provide the assistance required.

Questions? Contact David Taylor (Director of Administration)

PCC’s Helping Hand fund can provide short term financial assistance for those connected to PCC in some way either through regular attendance or close connection to it’s ministries. PCC does not usually disperse financial assistance directly to the one requesting assistance but instead sends that assistance to the financial obligation directly (i.e. pays bill for recipient, etc.).

As stated above, Helping Hand funds are only available to people with a close connection to Peninsula Community Chapel. To determine if you qualify for assistance, you must meet the following criteria:

• You must have attended PCC for at least 3 months. This will be verified with some record of connection/attendance through the church database – KidzMin check-ins / communication card / group attendance / event attendance / etc. or direct staff interaction. If we can't find a record of regular interaction with PCC in our records, or if that interaction is less than 3 months, you do not qualify.
• You must be either a regular attender/member yourselves or a person that a regular attender/member is committed to regular ministry with and would sponsor. Examples of the latter would be: refugee ministry, urban ministry, etc. If you are a person that a regular attender / member is working with, the regular attender / member will be contacted to confirm the interaction.

If you think you qualify for Helping Hand fund assistance, please contact the Chapel Office at (757) 867-8530 or office@pccyorktown.com to verify your eligibility for assistance. Once verified, you will be given the password to the Helping Hand fund online application. If you don't qualify, you'll be given some info on other agencies that may be able to help you like THRIVE.

When you contacted the Chapel office and confirmed your eligibility, you were given a password to the application. Click the button below and use that password to access the application. Please fill out the application as fully as possible and submit it. The Helping Hand committee will then contact the Chapel office to confirm your eligibility, review your application and contact you about how we will be able to assist you.