Q: What is the Willie Lopez Emergency Assistance Fund?

The Willie Lopez Emergency Assistance Fund is a nonprofit organization. It is supported by employees of Tailored Brands who donate money to help their fellow employees who are experiencing financial emergencies caused by unforeseen, catastrophic situations. The Fund was started in honor of Willie Lopez, a highly regarded District Manager, who died unexpectedly leaving his wife and four young children in a desperate financial situation.

Q: Who is eligible to receive money from the Fund?

The following are eligible to apply for assistance from the Fund:

Current part-time or full-time regular employees of any North American based subsidiary of Tailored Brands, Inc ("eligible employee"). Seasonal employees with a minimum of 2080 hours of service with the company are also eligible.
Or if eligible employee is deceased or physically unable to apply their surviving spouse, dependent children, dependent parents and dependent parents-in-law may apply.
Or an eligible employee's Manager or Multi-Unit Manager may act on eligible employee's behalf to submit the application due to physical or geographic limitations.

Q: How do I contribute to the Fund?

There are two options for contribution; wage withholding donations or a one-time donation.

Wage Withholding

Please start donating today by taking a few seconds and log onto PeopleSoft. Once you are logged in, follow these steps:

Click on Willie Lopez Fund icon
You will be brought to the Wage Withholding Form
Select a donation action (One-Time, Modify Existing, Both, or Cancel) and enter the amount
Click “Submit”
If successful, page will go grey and unresponsive. A “Saved” icon will appear in the upper right hand corner of the page.

Your request will go directly to payroll to start (or adjust) your payroll deductions. Within 2 weeks you too will be helping out members of the Tailored Brands family who are in need of assistance. All contributions to the Fund are tax deductible and letters are emailed at the end of the fiscal year.

One-time Donation

One-time donations can be made through PeopleSoft or through mailing a check to the Willie Lopez Emergency Assistance Fund at 2098.

Q: How do I apply for financial help from the Fund?

You can apply via our online application.

Should you need help walking through the process, or if you need a physcial copy of the application, do not hesitate to call the Fund director, Vaughn Klebig at 2098, extension 8517 or the main Willie Lopez Fund line at (510) 723-8517.

Q: Who makes the decision as to whether or not applicants receive funds and how much?

There is a Selection Committee that has been carefully chosen to best represent all employees. Strictly following the Giving Guidelines established in the Fund's by-laws, the Committee makes its decision solely on the facts of the situation at hand. They do not know the applicant's name, company history, or position. All applications submitted to the Fund are kept anonymous.

Q: How long does it take to receive funds if the Committee approves the applicant?

Depending on the seriousness of the situation, usually between two to three days after the application has been received. The committee can meet and decide on the same day if absolutely necessary.

Q: If an applicant's situation qualifies, yet they have other resources to draw from (such as savings, family, or insurance), can they still receive a grant from the Fund?

The Fund was established to help those qualified applicants that have no other options but to turn to the Fund. The applicant must use their own resources first before applying to the Fund. However, this does not mean that applicants have to use up all their assets to qualify for assistance. It is recommended that applicants call Vaughn Klebig to discuss their situation in detail.

Q: What help will the Fund provide if I experience a natural disaster or fire?

The Fund is not an insurance company and only meets the basic needs of the eligible employee and/or their qualified surviving family member(s). It does not replenish losses of personal property outside of these basic needs as determined by the Selection Committee.

Q: Does the Fund offer loans to assist people?

No. All monies that are granted by the Selection Committee are a tax-free gift. If the applicant chooses to contribute money back to the Fund after becoming financially self-sufficient again, they can make a voluntary contribution.

Q: What are some actual situations that led to employees being granted assistance through the Fund?

The following situations qualify for assistance from the Fund. Situations that do not qualify are also mentioned.

An unexpected death, a catastrophic illness or injury preventing the ability to work for an extended period
- This does not include nonemergency or cosmetic surgery
- This does not include regular maternity leave
A civil disaster such as a riot, terrorism or war
A sudden and severe personal or family crisis such as physical abuse, criminal violence, eviction, or homelessness
- This does not include nonviolent domestic issues like divorce or separation
- Homelessness cannot be caused by employee reduced wages/hours or spousal loss of income
The loss of residence or other property due to a natural disaster such as fire, flood, earthquake, hurricane or similar unusual circumstances
- This does not include flooding caused by plumbing issues
- This does not include home repair such as repairs to fences, minor roof repairs and other cosmetic repairs that is unrelated to potential health or safety risks

Q: How long does it take to receive funds if the Committee approves the applicant?

Depending on the seriousness of the situation, usually between two to three days after the application has been received. The committee can meet and decide on the same day if absolutely necessary.

Q: Who sees my personal information?

All applications submitted to the Fund are kept anonymous and only Willie Lopez Fund staff will see your personal information unless otherwise required by law.