Any current, full time or part time Southwest employee experiencing a financial hardship due to an emergency is eligible. Employees must have minimum of 30 days of service. Emergencies that will be taken into consideration range from house fires, utility disruptions and medical crises to transportation breakdowns that threaten employment. The applicant must define the emergency and provide proof of financial loss upon request.

Southwest employees must submit an application for assistance. Fill out the online form below completely. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The Southwest Cares Selection Committee comprised of the Southwest Foundation executive committee will review the application. The name of the applicant will be kept anonymous throughout the review process. Grant recipients will be selected by objective determination of need by the Southwest Cares Selection Committee. 

•  Incomplete requests will not be processed. 
• Supporting documentation and signatures are required and must be submitted with the application. (Examples of documentation include: eviction/foreclosure notifications, past due utilities, police/fire report, invoice of funeral expenses, doctor’s note and other related documentation.) Screen shots are not acceptable.  
• If the employee shares a home with a relative/friend and the past due notice is in the relative’s name, a letter from the relative must be attached stating the employee’s financial obligation to the household. 
• Documentation must be on letterhead or be an official statement from the owed party.
• Only one request for assistance per employee, per year, (rolling 12 months) will be granted in a 365-day period. 
• Employees should not apply for the same financial hardship more than once.

Should the committee approve the application, payments will be made directly to the company owed. No payments will be made directly to the employee.  No payments will be made to offset debt associated with the following:

• Credit cards
• Child support
• Gambling
• Legal fees or fines

INSTRUCTIONS: 
Please fill out the form below completely. Incomplete requests will not be processed. Supporting documentation and signatures are required. Examples of acceptable documentation include: eviction/foreclosure notification, past due utility bill notice, policy/fire report, funeral expenses invoice, doctor’s note, etc. Supporting documentation must be on official letterhead or be an official statement from the property owner.  You may upload your documents using the 'Select Files' button below. No screenshots of computer screens will be accepted. Or you may email your scanned documents to jstaylor@southwest.tn.edu. 

If you prefer to mail hard copies of your documentation, mail documents to:

Southwest Tennessee Community College Foundation
ATTN: Institutional Advancement
5983 Macon Cove
Memphis, TN 38134

IMPORTANT: Be sure to include full name, phone number and description of need in the email or postal mail so that your documents may be matched with your application.