Partner Initiatives
PerkUp CAFE (Covid-19 Assistance Fund for Employees)
With the help of our philanthropic partners, PerkUp CAFE distributed a series of financial grants to New Orleans employees working in the hospitality sector from November 2020 to January 2021. Each furloughed, laid-off or financially affected employee in the program received $200 per month for three months ($600 total). PerkUp CAFE awarded more than $700,000 in grants to more than 1,200 hospitality workers.
New Orleans Workplace Employer Initiative
The New Orleans Workplace Employer Initiative piloted an intervention targeted on the financial health challenges faced by employees in the New Orleans hospitality sector. Although significantly delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the pilot was successfully launched in April 2021. The initiative measured how providing access to a financial health platform holds potential for impact and improvement on employee financial health. Pilot participants who used the PerkUp platform saw their financial health scores increase by almost 4 points, with the more engaged users’ scores increasing by 8 points.
CashStash Signup Bonus / Prize Linked Savings Accounts
Setting money aside can be difficult, with most Americans having less than $500 in savings. With these statistics in mind, the PerkUp CashStash pilot project was launched in 2022. Members can build an emergency savings fund at their own pace with each paycheck (as little as $5), and they will receive a $50 cash perk in their account when they sign up. The set-it-and-forget-it savings feature makes saving easy and improves savings behavior. Members also have a chance to win monthly cash and prizes through a lottery-like monthly giveaway.
