Nanny Relief Fund
Founding board member, Shenandoah Davis with friends at Homework Solutions, APNA 2025
Nanny Relief Fund (NRF) is a lifeline for nannies across the United States who are facing unexpected financial hardship. Nannies often lack access to traditional resources like unemployment benefits or paid sick leave, making them particularly vulnerable in times of crisis. Because nannying is such an isolating profession, nannies often also lack community resources or information when things go wrong.
This vital resource steps in to provide financial assistance for a wide range of challenges, including:
·Natural Disasters. When fires, hurricanes, or other disasters strike, nannies have lost income and housing and face significant expenses.
·Medical Emergencies. Unexpected illnesses and injuries can lead to overwhelming medical bills.
·Precarious Employment. Many families choose to pay nannies under the table or as independent contractors, leaving them with limited legal protection and financial security.
NRF is essential because it recognizes the crucial role nannies play in our society and provides a much-needed safety net for these dedicated caregivers. By offering financial support and resources, the fund helps ensure that nannies can weather life’s storms and continue to provide loving care to the families they serve.
“Nanny Camp 2025 generously let NRF run their camp store called Relief, where we kept all the profits of selling snacks, drinks, T-shirts, toiletries (and more) that the nannies needed. Those profits totaled over $2,200," shared NRF president, Rachael Lubin.
“Nannypalooza 2025 hosted NRF as their conference charity this year (this has happened for two consecutive years now, we’re so thankful), and we raised $3,500 from attendees’ generosity,’ she continued. Nannies have continuously donated to the fund over the past five-and a-half years, many stating that they know it could be them who one day needs financial relief.
HomeWork Solutions has also continuously donated to the fund since 2020, writing a multi-thousand dollar check each year.
“We have seen a downturn in donations from nanny agencies and supporting businesses, so we have developed a campaign this winter called Double the Care, where we are encouraging both agencies and employers to double their nannies’ donations on a recurring, monthly basis. For instance, if a nanny donates five dollars a month to Nanny Relief Fund, their employers or placement agency can match it, multiplying the amount of funds we have each month to allocate to grants.
Recurring donations, even if they are smaller than a possible one lump-sum donation, are the best way to support NRF. It means that we not only have a way to disburse grants this and next month, but also can plan for the fund to be around for years (or decades) to come,” said Carrie Bland, NRF Board member and Social Media director.
“We have plans to continue to support and educate nannies in different ways—ideally so nannies can set themselves up for financial success and never need a grant to keep them afloat during emergencies. However, we also recognize the delicate nature of working in a profession with fewer labor rights than all others, and we expect that we will be around for many years to come.
Looking back, when we started the fund in April 2020, the original five founding board members worked at a breakneck speed to raise funds and get the first round of emergency grants into the hands of nannies in need. Although the two nannies on the board had secure jobs (which motivated us to help those who had lost their jobs), the three agency owners had businesses that had come to a halt. We each felt the weight of being the only lifeline available for nannies— those most important people who make all other work possible. As an organization, we raised and gave away over $60,000 that year. Multiple payroll companies, dozens of nanny agencies, and hundreds of nannies donated to make that miracle possible.
As we approach our sixth year, our goals are to reinvigorate business donors from previous years and to continually assess our application process to ensure ease for nannies of all backgrounds. The business world may have recovered from the horrors of 2020, but nannies still face difficult financial times in this increasingly unprecedented world,” said Lubin.