$500 assistance program launched, expanded by Newport Beach CEO amid pandemic and Texas power outages
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Last year's wildfires and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic led Jobot founder and CEO Heidi Golledge to create the Jobot Assist Program for employees who needed immediate help.
"It's no questions asked. You just say, "I need the Jobot assist," and you get $500," Golledge said. "We don't even ask what it's for or what is happening because we feel like, if you really need it, we want to give it to you."
Now the Newport Beach-based job recruitment company has made the program available to employees in Texas affected by the winter storms and others who might be in need.
"Seeing what was happening in Texas, I was thinking, like: How can we give that program to more people, even outside Jobot?" Golledge said.
So she wrote up a post on LinkedIn, asking for nominations, saying" "This can be anyone in the USA negatively impacted by the storms, pandemic and/or could use $500 to brighten up their week."
IRS says all of 1st, 2nd economic impact payments sent out, leaving those still waiting on edge
The nominees started trickling in -- including one of Jobot's employees, who nominated his family.
"Both his parents were laid off in the pandemic and now their pipes are frozen and broken," said Golledge. "They don't have electricity, so you're looking at two older people that literally don't have electricity and they don't have water."
While some have already been selected for their immediate and most dire needs, Golledge said others will be put in a random drawing next week.
"I initially started just the idea of two, but we're seeing so many people that we're definitely going to up that and help as many people as we possibly can," she said.
The nominations are all on Golledge's LinkedIn page. They include a new mom who lost her job during the pandemic and a Texas woman whose house flooded while without power.
