Investing in Our Community
The foreclosure and economic crisis continue to have profound effects on our communities. As more people waver on the brink of losing their homes or experiencing a financial crisis that could lead to homelessness, they often turn to nonprofit housing and community development agencies to help them find affordable housing. While the agencies try to meet the surging demand for their services, they too are faced with a crisis of their own – the elimination of public funding to support the preservation and stabilization of affordable housing. Our local nonprofit organizations continue to be asked to do more with less.
To support the agencies we have entrusted that help families and individuals facing this predicament, the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties’ Board of Directors approved an unprecedented investment in general operating support and awarded $2,086,700 in grants on May 16th to 12 nonprofit organizations that address affordable housing needs. The grants were made possible through the MacArthur Affordable Housing Initiative Fund of the Community Foundation and the Hans and Mary Stratmann Fund of the Community Foundation. The grants will invest in, strengthen and sustain the operations of these agencies and enable them to continue to deliver programs and services needed by individuals and families in our communities.
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The affordable housing gap is growing as poverty rates have increased and unemployment and underemployment persists. These issues are compounded by South Florida’s high foreclosure rate which spurs homelessness and creates blighted neighborhoods caused by vacant houses and declining property values. To combat these issues, the Community Foundation has committed to improving and stabilizing low-to-moderate income neighborhoods, increasing access to affordable housing, and educating the community about the importance of affordable housing to our region’s future prosperity.
“Much of the state-sponsored public funding that in the past has been used to preserve and subsidize affordable housing has been eliminated,” comments Leslie Lilly, President and CEO of the Community Foundation. “As a first resource for many struggling individuals, these organizations are stretched to provide services with limited dollars. The grants will support their general operating expenses and will help ease the burden so they can continue to help our communities with affordable housing.”
The Affordable Housing grants were awarded to the following nonprofit organizations:
• Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches, Inc.
• Children’s Case Management (dba Families First of Palm Beach County)
• Community Land Trust of Palm Beach County, Inc.
• Habitat for Humanity of Martin County, Inc.
• Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County
• Habitat for Humanity, Palm Beach County
• Housing Leadership Council of Palm Beach County
• Housing Partnership, Inc.
• Indiantown Non-Profit Housing, Inc.
• Neighborhood Renaissance, Inc.
• The Lord’s Place, Inc.
• Urban League of Palm Beach County, Inc.
