Union Home Mortgage Foundation announces fourth quarter grant recipients

Awardees include 8 nonprofits in Florida, Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina, and Texas

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio, Feb. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Union Home Mortgage Foundation, the charitable arm of Union Home Mortgage whose mission is to equip families with the tools and resources needed to achieve economic self-sufficiency, has announced its grant recipients for the fourth quarter of 2023.  The Foundation awarded grants to eight nonprofits from across the country totaling $67,500. 

In this round of funding, the Foundation provided support to organizations within its operational footprint that are making a tangible impact in their communities through the advancement of financial literacy and housing access.

"At Union Home Mortgage, it's critical for us to partner with dynamic organizations that make a difference in our communities, providing more equitable opportunities for those they serve," said Bill Cosgrove, CEO of Union Home Mortgage. "We believe in creating access to a bright economic future, and that idea drives our collaboration with vibrant organizations across the country. We're thrilled to work with them in support of our mission to improve financial literacy and make the dream of homeownership accessible for all."

"We're overjoyed to support nonprofit organizations that have made such significant contributions to their communities," said Ashley Ali, Director of Corporate Communications. "They are playing pivotal roles in the lives of those they serve, and we're proud to help them continue doing so."

Since its inception in 2015, the Foundation has distributed more than $1 million in financial support to nonprofits in over 14 states. For more information on the Union Home Mortgage Foundation, visit www.uhmfoundation.org, or email [email protected].

The fourth quarter grant recipients are:

Cleveland, Ohio

Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland: $15,000 in support of financial literacy programming that will serve more than 25,000 Cleveland-area students and focus on personal finance, savings, budgeting, and investing wisely. This programming also aims to inspire young people to be responsible with their finances and motivate other community members to participate in preparing young people for the world of work.

CHN Housing Partners: $10,000 in support of the Lease Purchase Program, which provides a 15-year pathway to homeownership for families earning 60% or less of AMI. This is a comprehensive model of housing development, affordable rents, long-term engagement, and counseling.  From the time residents enter the program until they take title, they engage in in-depth counseling with HUD-approved counselors twice annually, with follow-up sessions in-between. When the homes reach 15 years under CHN management, families can purchase for ~1/3 market value. This contribution will support the 191 families in years 13-16 who are 3 or less years away from homeownership, as well as the 327 families in years 1-12 working on homeownership readiness.

Enterprise Community Partners: $5,000 to support the development of Transition Age Youth Supportive Housing as part of the Housing First Initiative, for which Enterprise Community Partners has served as the central project manager to reduce long-term homelessness through permanent supportive housing. Since 2019, Enterprise has been leveraging Housing First's successful track record, partners, and infrastructure to plan a 50-unit supportive housing development for Transition Age Youth (TAY; 18-24 years) experiencing homelessness in Cuyahoga County. Supportive housing, seen as an essential pathway to economic stability and self-sufficiency, has not only been tremendously successful in Cuyahoga County, where it has reduced chronic homelessness by 86%, but is also an evidence-based practice that has been repeatedly proven effective at reducing homelessness across the country.

Providence House: $10,000 supporting the initiative to "Partner in Prevention" providing 424 nights of emergency shelter and care for children experiencing crises. Families turn to Providence House when they are experiencing any type of crisis, including homelessness and unsafe living conditions. On average, children stay with Providence House for 25 days, but can stay up to 90 days depending on each family's situation. While children receive emergency shelter in the Family Preservation Crisis Nursery, Licensed Social Workers engage parents/guardians in case management, parent education, housing support services and trauma services, as well as coordinate and oversee family visitation. The target population for this initiative is children who are homeless, living in a shelter, doubled up in temporary housing situations, or living in unsafe living conditions in Cuyahoga County.

Durham, North Carolina

Housing for New Hope: $7,500 to support ongoing, permanent supportive housing programs, which aid individuals who have faced chronic homelessness and would benefit from stable housing and long-term supportive services. Clients in this Supportive Housing program may reside in one of Housing for New Hope's two Supportive Housing communities or live in private residences as part of their Streets to Home program. Housing for New Hope also provides rental assistance, ensuring that participants pay no more than 30% of their annual adjusted gross income on rent.

Houston, Texas

Houston Furniture Bank: $2,500 to support the No Kids on the Floor Project, which provides twin mattresses to thousands of children in the greater Houston area. According to recent reports, 1 in 5 Texas children lives in poverty, and Black and Hispanic children are disproportionately more likely to live below the poverty line. Grant funding will assist the Houston Furniture Bank in providing families and individuals with twin mattresses, foundations, and bed frames for needy children from birth to age 18. Each $250 donated to the No Kids on the Floor Project provides a new twin mattress, foundation, and bed frame to a child in need.

Indianapolis, Indiana

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana: $10,000 to support the Little Impacts and Big Futures Career and College Readiness Programs. The Little Impacts program encompasses all BBBSCI support for middle and elementary school Littles and ~100 activities focused on this age group. This is critical programming, as it helps youth build confidence, pique their interest, and establish foundational skills, including those skills needed to be successful in budgeting, saving, and managing credit. The Big Futures program serves over 450 high school-aged Littles annually and includes a series of events focused on the school-to-workforce pipeline. These events encourage Littles to develop hard and soft skills and financial literacy, explore different career paths, make important professional connections, and more.

Tampa, Florida

Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County: $7,500 toward the 2024 Women Build, which will give a single mother and her children the opportunity to help build their own affordable forever home and launching the family on a path to long-term financial stability and independence. This build will begin construction in Spring 2024 and finish in winter. Habitat's homeownership program empowers low and moderate-income individuals to become homeowners.

About the Union Home Mortgage Foundation

The Union Home Mortgage Foundation was established in 2015 as the charitable arm of independent mortgage banking company Union Home Mortgage Corp (UHM). The Foundation's mission is to equip individuals and families with the tools and resources to achieve economic self-sufficiency, specifically through financial literacy, and housing. The Foundation has awarded over $1 million since its inception toward these programs to help guide families on a pathway towards responsible homeownership. Union Home Mortgage Corp. is a high-growth, full-service retail, wholesale, and consumer direct lender with over 150 branches across the U.S. and over $13 billion in responsible lending per year. To learn more about Union Home Mortgage and its efforts in the community, please visit https://www.uhm.com/.

SOURCE Union Home Mortgage