MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          November 12, 2020

Subject:     A Trust for Teachers Who Have Lost All Income

There is an external trust fund available to Buffalo teachers who exhaust their sick days and who have exhausted all paid District benefits. It is called The Richmond Fund.

The Richmond Fund was established in the will of Henry A. Richmond who died in 1913. Any interest generated by the “principal sum” is to be:

“Paid to such deserving teachers in the public schools of the City of Buffalo as may be temporarily incapacitated from discharging their duties as such teachers by reason of ill health and are in need of rest and recuperation in order to properly resume their duties. It being my purpose to create a fund the income whereof shall be devoted to aiding and assisting such teachers to regain their health and take needed rest.”

This year, however, the Trust has money leftover that it has to spend before the end of the year (December 31, 2020) or it will be taken in taxes.

As a result, the BTF has worked with the Trust and District. The conditions to get an award have therefore been relaxed. A qualifying teacher can get an award of up to six weeks of gross pay. If a teacher already received an award, they can obtain another as long as it is not more than the six weeks.

A teacher can apply if they have exhausted paid leave as a result of: (1) personal illness or disability; (2) sick or disabled child (biological, adopted or step-child) in need of care; (3) a sick or disabled parent; and (4) a sick or disabled parent of a spouse in need of care.

An application must be made as soon as possible but in any event before December 15. The applicant must submit to the District’s Benefit Office (see below web address). An applicant will need a physician’s certification attesting to the medical condition of the sick individual. Please note that the qualifications have been relaxed this year so disregard any contrary instructions on the District website.

We do not believe that “the unpaid period must exceed two weeks” as is currently stated. When in doubt, apply.

Please act promptly and advise any teacher who might miss this correspondence so any deserving teachers do not miss out.

If you wish to apply go to www.buffaloschools.org/leaveofabsence, click on “BTF”.

PR:su