The right money at the right time matters.
What Canary’s 2025 data reveals about emergency relief, financial instability, and the infrastructure workplaces can’t afford to skip.
Who trusts Canary
Canary was built on the research behind “The Financial Diaries“ — a study of how families actually navigate financial instability. That foundation shapes everything about how we approach emergency relief: what it needs to do, who it needs to reach, and why it works even when grants don’t cover the full need.
72%
more clients served year-over-year
1.5x
more grants delivered year-over-year, including wildfire and shutdown response
$1015
Average grant size delivered to employees in need
Client Industry Breakdown
2025 IN CONTEXT
When Headlines Became Emergencies
Infrastructure to respond at scale
When wildfires swept through Los Angeles in January 2025, grant volume more than doubled overnight. Organizations with emergency relief already in place could respond within days, not weeks.
“It was so uplifting — I felt for the first time in a long time, someone had my back.”
— Employee who received a grant the day after the fires
Adapting to an entirely new kind of emergency
When the government shutdown disrupted SNAP benefits for 40+ million Americans, Canary expanded qualifying events, trained grant specialists, and began processing applications immediately for clients who opted in.
“With the current government shutdown affecting my food stamps […] this help couldn’t have come at a better time — especially with the holidays right around the corner.”
— Anonymous grant recipient
The Foundation Paradox
Emergency relief doesn’t have to solve every problem to be essential. The 2025 data reveals something that at first looks like a contradiction but turns out to be proof of how a strong foundation actually works.
said the grant didn’t cover their full need
said the grant gave them time and space to plan next steps
reported needing to use additional resources
still felt better about their employer
Grants don’t need to solve everything. They need to prevent immediate collapse and create the footing that makes other solutions accessible.
Real lives, real impact
Behind every statistic is a person trying to hold things together.
- Home/property
Grant Amount
$2,500
full request funded
Time to approval
Same-day
as application
“I had never in my life had any help from anywhere. As a single mother and homeowner it hasn’t been easy — but you helped me and my children sleep in a safe environment.”
-Anonymous grant recipient
- medical bills
Grant Amount
$200
partial request funded
Time to approval
3 days
after application
“The relief allowed me to focus on family & friends and I so appreciate it!
$200 in my time of need was like 2 million!”
-Anonymous grant recipient
When financial crisis becomes organizational risk
Financial distress doesn’t stop at the door. It affects attendance, focus, retention, and the return on every other benefit investment you’ve made.
Crisis prevented | what it means for you | |
|---|---|---|
Eviction notices | Employees who aren’t scrambling for housing can focus on the job | |
Lateness or absence from work | Employees who can get to work show up – and stay | |
Unnecessary retirement account withdrawals | Emergency relief protects the resources you’ve already invested in. |
If this resonated, the report will too.
Download your copy for a deep dive into 2025 data, grantee stories, employer case studies, and a closer look at what happens when the infrastructure exists — and what happens when it doesn’t.
Want to talk about the impact of emergency relief for your workforce?