Throughout last year, I reviewed hundreds of Employee Assistance Fund (EAF) applications and saw how disasters and unexpected hardships disrupted lives around the world. I witnessed resilience repeatedly, with people finding the strength to prevail despite loss and uncertainty. These are not distant stories; they come from our neighbors, our friends, and our families. Seeing the impact of another turbulent year on our communities makes it easy to understand why companies continued to expand their EAFs in 2025, launching new programs and strengthening existing ones.

These corporate-sponsored funds provide critical financial relief to employees and their families during times of personal or community-wide crisis. What often begins as disaster-focused support naturally evolves into a comprehensive people-centered program, addressing the diverse challenges employees face today. People-centered programs are what we refer to here at Global Impact as employer-sponsored initiatives designed to support employees beyond the workplace, addressing a more well-rounded set of offerings prioritizing wellbeing and stability for employees. When you invest in people-centered programs, you create one of the most powerful connections between your philanthropic giving and your business — because your people truly are its foundation.

At Global Impact, we partner with companies to design EAFs tailored to the unique needs of their workforce. In 2025, these funds delivered hundreds of thousands of dollars in assistance, supporting employees during large-scale events and individual hardships alike. By providing timely support, EAFs have become an essential resource for employees and their families.

I wanted to share the five largest disasters and crises our EAF clients addressed in 2025. Throughout these tragedies, our clients were there to support their employees in their time of need.

1. Typhoon Kalmaegi/Tino
Typhoon Kalmaegi, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Tino, affected central Philippines, later struck central Vietnam, and eventually impacted Laos and Cambodia. Kalmaegi caused significant devastation in central Philippines. Vietnam faced severe flooding, landslides, and widespread damage. In the Vietnamese city of Hoi An, tens of thousands of homes and businesses were inundated, forcing residents to evacuate with little notice. Floodwaters strained local infrastructure, left families without access to basic necessities, and created urgent needs for shelter, transportation, and medical care.

In the wake of Typhoon Kalmaegi, our clients activated their EAFs to provide financial relief to employees and their families. Monetary grants helped cover temporary lodging, food, clothing, emergency medical expenses, and home repairs, with grant amounts ranging from $170 to $1,700 depending on individual needs.

2. Super Typhoon Fung-Wong/Uwan
Quickly following Kalmaegi, Super Typhoon Fung-Wong struck the Philippines, exacerbating conditions created by multiple severe weather events earlier in the year. Severe flooding, landslides, and strong winds caused extensive damage to homes and infrastructure, displacing over 1.4 million residents and damaging thousands of homes. For many of our EAF clients’ employees and their families, the storm intensified ongoing challenges and created immediate financial needs.

Natural disaster assistance remains a cornerstone of EAFs, allowing companies to respond quickly when communities face widespread disasters. Following Fung-Wong, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Uwan, our clients were able to provide timely assistance to employees who experienced home damage. Over $200,000 was distributed to employees impacted by Typhoon Fung-Wong, offering financial assistance to support their recovery and rebuilding efforts.

Together, Kalmaegi and Fung-Wong resulted in more than $300,000 in 2025 EAF grants. Because these storms occurred late in the year, assistance continues to be provided to affected employees and the amount of funds provided will continue to grow.

3. Myanmar & Thailand earthquake
On March 28, 2025, a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar, sending shockwaves as far as northern Thailand. Numerous buildings, roads, and public infrastructure were heavily damaged across the region, leaving communities facing widespread disruption and thousands of residents displaced. Access to housing, food, and essential services was interrupted, creating immediate challenges for families across the region.

Our clients were able to respond in multiple ways through their EAFs. In some cases, funds were sent directly to impacted work locations, allowing local teams to purchase and distribute food, clothing, and other essential supplies to affected employees. Monetary grants were provided to help employees cover urgent expenses, such as temporary housing, transportation, and other evacuation expenses. We also connected EAF clients with our Global Impact charity partners in the region, who quickly mobilized to provide lifesaving support. You can learn how Global Impact’s Charity Alliance members responded to this crisis here.

On average, clients provided approximately $500 per employee in natural disaster assistance in 2025.

4. Unexpected illness, injury, and death
Beyond large-scale disasters, employees continued to face personal hardships that created significant financial and emotional strain. In 2025, over 50% of approved personal hardship requests  were for support related to unexpected illness, injury, and death. Costs associated with emergency medical care, medications, and funeral arrangements can escalate quickly, placing families under immense pressure.

Employees often require assistance to cover urgent medical expenses for themselves or a loved one. In some cases, these situations led to the death of a loved one, deepening the emotional and financial impact. In cases when an employee passed away, EAF grants were directed to their family to assist with funeral or burial costs and other immediate needs. Across all events of unexpected illness, injury, and death, our clients distributed over $250,000 in 2025, helping employees and their families navigate these challenging circumstances.

5. Involuntary loss of housing
Employees faced an increase in sudden loss of housing due to eviction, damage rendering residences uninhabitable, or other unforeseen circumstances this past year. Involuntary loss of housing has far-reaching effects, disrupting daily routines and creating added stress and instability for employees and their families.

Through their EAFs, clients were able to provide timely support, covering temporary housing, essential household items, and other immediate needs. Across all personal hardship categories in 2025, our clients distributed over $450,000. By addressing housing emergencies alongside other personal hardships, EAFs continued to serve as a vital resource, ensuring employees had the support they needed to navigate the path ahead.

Continuing to Support Employees in 2026
Companies are entering the new year amid profound change: AI adoption is accelerating, restructuring is reshaping teams, and employees expect more meaningful support from their employers. And, it’s clear that employees will continue to face unpredictable challenges. Companies of all sizes are increasingly turning to EAFs to provide timely support, strengthen employee engagement, and help teams navigate crises with confidence.

With 70 years of experience in distributing funds and ensuring they reach those in need, Global Impact seamlessly processes assistance funding, supports global grantmaking, and offers tax-deductible contributions to support causes your employees care about.

By establishing a customizable and adaptable EAF, your organization can ensure employees have access to critical support when disasters strike or personal hardships arise. Starting 2026 with these programs in place means your workforce will be prepared to face the challenges ahead. Reach out to Global Impact at [email protected] today to learn how to get started.