Hope Lives Here

GSHA Employee Assistance Program

Hope Lives Here is a HAMC employee-funded assistance program. Good Samaritan Hospital Association employees who are experiencing financial problems due to illness, personal hardship, death in the family, or other kinds of crisis may apply for up to $1,200 in assistance per year.


Employees do not need to donate to Hope Lives Here to receive assistance from this program, they just need to have completed their 90-day probation period and not be under any current corrective actions.


The application form must be submitted by the employee or their supervisor. All documentation for the need must be included with the application. The employee’s supervisor does not need to be aware of the application.


Submit the completed application to the Good Samaritan Health Services Foundation Coordinator. The coordinator will review the application with the H.R. Director to ensure the employee qualifies for the program and then take the application to the Hope Lives Here committee comprised of anonymous employees. After the committee has reviewed the application and made a recommendation, the Foundation Coordinator will contact the employee and discuss the decision.


Employees may contribute to Hope Lives Here through automatic deductions from their paychecks. If interested, contact Human Resources and complete the authorization form.


Hope Lives Here funds are managed for employees by the Good Samaritan Health Services Foundation. Questions may be directed to Foundation Coordinator McKayla McKay at ext. 2218.


Click the button below to download the Hope Lives Here application.

Hope Lives Here Assistance Opportunities

Here is the text from the policy as it applies to employees requesting assistance:


To qualify for assistance, employees must be in good standing with HAMC and have been employed for 90 days. Here are the categories of assistance available:


  1. Medical Expenses: Any medical expense which was incurred after an employee’s 90th day of employment.
  2. Medical expenses will be tiered on a two-level basis"
  3. Critical Illness: 100% coverage of medical expenses up to a maximum of $1,200.
  4. Standard Illness/Injury: 25% coverage of medical expenses up to a maximum of $1,200.
  5. Critical Illness events will be defined as: Heart Attack; Stroke; Cancer; End of Stage Renal (kidney) Failure; Major Organ Failure; Coma; Paralysis of two or more limbs; Loss of Sight; Occupational HIV; Occupational hepatitis; ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease); Advanced Alzheimer’s disease; Advanced Multiple Sclerosis.
  6. Standard Illness/Injury events can be defined as all other illnesses/injuries not listed under the Critical Illness criteria.
  7. Medical deductibles will be considered and calculated in awarding this category.
  8. If the application is for medical expenses incurred at a medical facility, the applicant must have applied for their community care program prior to applying for Hope Lives Here Assistance Program and show proof.
  9. Personal Hardship: An unexpected life event that creates an immediate or urgent financial need.
  10. Up to $1,200.00 may be granted for personal hardship.
  11. Hardship is defined as an unexpected life event that creates an immediate or urgent financial need.
  12. If a deductible should be considered (such as with automobile, homeowners, or renters insurance cases) the committee will take these into account before awarding a grant.
  13. All PTO must be exhausted before applying for assistance due to missed time.
  14. Bereavement: The death of an immediate family member, defined as a spouse, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, in-laws of these, or the appointed legal guardian.
  15. Up to $1,200 may be granted for a case of bereavement.
  16. Bereavement claims are limited to the death of an immediate family member, defined as a spouse, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, or the in-laws of these, or appointed legal guardian.
  17. Bereavement applications may be considered for either expenses incurred, or time missed. Wages lost due to an extended absence may be granted for up to five days, over and above the GSHA bereavement policy and PTO exhaustion. Any bereavement applications for time lost will be compensated based on the hourly wage or daily salary of the applicant, not to exceed $1,200.