Emergency Financial Assistance
Income stops on the day a driver dies. Bills do not. Our emergency assistance program provides direct financial support within days of a family's first contact — not weeks.
What we cover.
Every family's situation is different. Our assistance is disbursed based on demonstrated immediate need, not income brackets or administrative review timelines.
Funeral & burial costs
Funeral expenses arrive before the shock wears off. We help families cover immediate burial and service costs so financial pressure doesn't dictate final arrangements.
Mortgage & rent
Keeping a roof over the family's head is the first priority. We provide bridge support for housing costs during the acute crisis period.
Utilities
Power, heat, water — the essentials that keep a household functional while a family processes loss and reorganizes finances.
Vehicle payments
For many families, a vehicle is the difference between functional and isolated. We help maintain transportation access.
Grocery & food
Food security during the immediate aftermath. We also connect families to local food assistance programs for ongoing support.
Children's expenses
School supplies, childcare, clothing, activity fees — the costs of raising children don't pause for grief.
From first contact to disbursement.
Contact us
Call the helpline, submit a request online, or email us. There is no wrong way to reach out.
Case coordinator
A coordinator calls within 24 hours. They gather details and assess immediate needs — no judgment, no bureaucracy.
Verification
We confirm the driver's professional status and employment. This takes 24–48 hours in most cases.
Disbursement
Funds are disbursed directly — by check, ACH transfer, or payment to a vendor. Families receive assistance, not vouchers.
Eligibility.
The NFTDRF provides emergency assistance to families of professional truck drivers who died while employed in a professional driving capacity. This includes:
- ●Long-haul and regional CDL drivers
- ●Owner-operators
- ●Drivers employed by carriers of any size
- ●Deaths resulting from crash, medical emergency, or job-related hazard
- ●Immediate family members: spouses, domestic partners, dependent children
We do not means-test. We do not require families to prove poverty. A professional driver died. Their family qualifies. That is the standard.
NEED HELP NOW?
The helpline is available 24 hours a day.
1-800-555-0199Or submit a support request online and a coordinator will call you within 24 hours.
Submit a support request →JOIN THE FOUNDATION
This program runs entirely on donations.
When you give to NFTDRF, your contribution funds direct disbursements to families in crisis — not overhead, not administration.
Fund Emergency AssistanceNFTDRF is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. All donations are tax-deductible.