We're Here to Help
“One of my sweetest moments of the last many days was opening an envelope BAARC dropped by my house that had grocery and gas cards inside. As the cards slipped into my hand, my heart felt a little pang, ‘somebody cares about me. They don’t know me, but they cared enough to help me out.’ " - Aid Recipient
How Emergency Aid from Baarc works
If you or someone you know is experiencing a financial, medical, or life crisis and have no other means of support readily available, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help.
As you read this, someone in the Bay Area is being helped by BAARC. The organization was started with you in mind, and our safety net extends to all areas of the industry: advertising, promotions, and media agencies, media sales representatives, public relations firms, industry vendors, corporate marketers, and freelancers.
And although we have established a few basic parameters for receiving a BAARC Grant (see below), every application for financial assistance will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The Grants Committee and the Board of Directors consider each application individually, with the Board making the final decision.
Even if your situation doesn’t fall neatly in line with our guidelines, we encourage you to contact us. At the very least, we can provide you with information about other resources.
Who Qualifies for BAARC Aid?
Emergency Aid and Assistance Eligibility Guidelines
1. BAARC provides emergency financial aid and referrals to other assistance programs to those who have worked in the advertising and marketing industry and live and/or work in the nine Bay Area counties: San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, and Solano.
2. The advertising and marketing industry generally includes advertising and promotion agencies, advertising media, public relations or publicity firms, vendors whose primary business is service to the advertising and marketing industry (including consultants and freelancers), advertising departments, and marketing departments with advertising responsibilities for companies located in the nine-county Bay Area. If the applicant works “client side,” the applicant’s primary job responsibility must be advertising or marketing.
3. BAARC’s financial aid and other resource assistance is available to everyone who has worked in the advertising and marketing industry without regard to title, duties, or position.
4. Those eligible for assistance from BAARC may also include the dependents, survivors, other relatives, or domestic partners of those who have worked in the advertising and marketing industry.
5. In determining whether a person is eligible for financial assistance, BAARC will take into account the number of years he/she has worked in the advertising and marketing industry. However, as a general rule, BAARC will consider providing financial assistance to those who have worked in the advertising and marketing industry full-time for a minimum of two years or active equivalent.
6. The Bay Area Advertising Relief Committee does not discriminate on any basis including considerations of sex, age, race, sexual orientation, or religion.
7. All grant decisions are at the final discretion of the Board of Directors, and not exclusively on these general guidelines.
Remember, even if your situation doesn’t fall neatly in line with our guidelines, we encourage you to contact us. At the very least, we can provide you with information about other resources.