Philadelphia, July 10, 2019 - The Homeless Assistance Fund, Inc. (HAFI) announces grants totaling $416,000 over two years to assist some of Philadelphia’s most vulnerable residents. Since 2007, HAFI has made philanthropic investments of $2.6 million, assisting 1,600 households to move from homelessness to permanent housing. Through grants to high performing nonprofit organizations, HAFI provides support for housing-related essentials such as security deposits, first and last month’s rent, furniture and utility arrearages – costs that are too often prohibitive for very low-income individuals and families
This funding cycle is focused on services for young adults and families. Among the organizations receiving grants for housing-related expenditures: Action Wellness, to support housing security so that young adults with chronic illnesses can engage in vital medical and behavioral health care and reduce criminal recidivism; Drueding Center, to enable families headed by young, single mothers to move from transitional to permanent housing; People’s Emergency Center, to support families experiencing homelessness in their transition to permanent housing; Valley Youth House, to assist lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth to gain access to permanent housing; and Women Against Abuse, to support families made homeless by domestic violence in their transition to permanent housing.
Lack of income is a critical barrier for very poor households in their efforts to afford housing. To address this issue, HAFI is also providing support for transportation to job sites to First Step Staffing, which connects individuals experiencing homelessness and other challenges to employment so they can afford permanent housing.
Jeannine Lisitski, Executive Director for long-time HAFI grantee Women Against Abuse describes HAFI’s support as critical for the organization: “HAFI has been not just an incredible supporter, but a true partner in advancing our mission to meet the needs of families who have been made homeless due to domestic violence. HAFI funds make it possible for us to provide each family with resources to purchase the furniture or appliances they need as they transition to a new home. These resources are a critical part of establishing safety and hope in the long journey of rebuilding and finding stability.”
In describing HAFI’s mission, Janet Kroll, HAFI’s Executive Director, notes that “individuals and families experiencing homelessness too often lack the ability to afford the basic costs of housing, including security deposits and even simple furniture like a bed or a dining room table. Partnering with our grantees, HAFI removes these barriers so that our most vulnerable neighbors can get back on their feet in safe and secure housing.”
For more information on HAFI visit: www.hafi-phila.org or contact Janet Koll, HAFI executive director, at (267) 297-7661or janet@hafi-phila.org.