Awardees include 8 nonprofits in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, New
Mexico and North
Carolina
STRONGSVILLE, Ohio, July 16,
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 second quarter of 2024. The Foundation awarded grants to 8
nonprofits from across the country totaling $35,000.
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.
"Union Home Mortgage believes in the value and impact of the
nonprofit organizations that serve our communities, and we want to
support that critically important work across the country," said
Bill Cosgrove, CEO of Union Home
Mortgage. "Our goal is to support organizations nationwide where we
have Partners on the ground who can put weight behind our efforts
to build access to a brighter economic future for all. This
quarter, we have increased our footprint to include 2 additional
states, and we're so excited to work with all 8 organizations to
achieve their goals."
"Creating economic self-sufficiency for as many families as
possible is our mission, and the most impactful way we can do that
is by collaborating with organizations who embody that sentiment,"
said Ashley Ali, Director of
Corporate Communications. "As we grow Union Home across the
country, we hope to grow the Foundation's footprint in tandem, so
we can better support the communities we serve every day. These 8
organizations, among the others we fund throughout the year, are
pivotal changemakers in the neighborhoods we deeply care
about."
Since its inception in 2015, the Foundation has distributed more
than $1 million in financial support
to nonprofits in over 17 states.
The second quarter grant recipients are:
Louisville,
Kentucky
USA Cares
Inc.: $2,500 in support of the USA Cares Military Assistance Response
Program, which helps post-9/11 veterans and service members find
the stability they need by removing obstacles to their success and
providing financial assistance to pay bills essential to their
health and wellbeing (i.e. rent/mortgage, utilities, auto, phone,
groceries, etc.). This improves the quality of their lives and
prevents evictions, foreclosures, auto-repossessions, and utility
disconnections. Prior to receiving assistance, each veteran must
complete a free Financial Education & Empowerment Program. This
online course provides budget counseling to veterans facing
financial difficulties to help them reach their financial goals in
the future. All financial assistance is sent directly to landlords,
mortgage lenders, utilities, and other vendors on behalf of the
client.
Grand Rapids,
Michigan
Home Repair Services of Kent
County: $5,000 toward Home Repair Services' Housing
Counseling and Education program, which relieves financial stress
by offering financial counseling and education resources to
community residents. Home Repair Services offers foreclosure
prevention counseling, reverse mortgage counseling, Money Matters
workshops, and a Financial Capabilities Certificate Series, which
is offered to participants of various path-to-homeownership
programs. Group financial education offerings include free,
voluntary workshops on topics such as budgeting, credit, and
homebuying.
Berea, Ohio
OhioGuidestone: $5,000 in
support of OhioGuidestone's Berea Children's Home, the
organization's longest-standing program. This Residential Treatment
Program provides trauma-informed care to children and adolescents
with complex trauma, mental health needs, academic struggles and
severe emotional/behavioral concerns – any of which prevent them
from living safely at home. This funding will allow OhioGuidestone
to make necessary repairs to the Children's Home cottages,
therefore enabling OhioGuidestone to increase its capacity to serve
the community.
Cleveland,
Ohio
Towards Employment Inc.: $10,000 in support of
Towards Employment's career readiness training program, Giving
Clevelanders a Chance to Advance, which includes financial literacy
training for all participants. Towards Employment's primary focus
is to help individuals secure and maintain well-paying jobs while
providing comprehensive support services to tackle the social
determinants of work. The vision of Towards Employment is a dynamic
world of work where all people - regardless of race, criminal
history or where they live - have an opportunity to thrive.
Cuyahoga Land Bank Charities (CLBC): $5,000 in
support of the CLBC's Special Population Matching Grant Program. In
partnership with the Cuyahoga Land Bank, CLBC facilitates the
return of vacant and abandoned properties in Cuyahoga County to a productive use by housing
vulnerable and underserved populations. Each year, the Cuyahoga
Land Bank receives access to dozens of foreclosed and forfeited
properties, many of which are repurposed for affordable housing and
transferred to community organizations at no or low cost. CLBC then
supports these community organizations in conducting the necessary
renovations, including through capacity building and providing
matching funds of up to 50% of the agreed-upon renovation cost of
single- and two-family homes through the Special Population
Matching Grant Program.
Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma
City Care Inc.: $2,500 toward City Care's Support
Communities housing program. City Care provides permanent
supportive housing to men and women exiting local OKC homeless
shelters and streets. Residents are welcomed to our community with
furnished apartments and receive robust and ongoing case management
support. Supportive Communities Advocates meet regularly with
residents and create individualized housing plans that offer
holistic care, from employment counseling to financial literacy, to
art classes to peer-recovery support. Utilities are covered by City
Care to reduce the burden on residents, and rent amounts are
calculated based on income levels and never beyond 30% of an
individual's income.
Albuquerque, New
Mexico
DreamSpring: $2,500 toward financial literacy and
small business education for underserved entrepreneurs in
Arizona, Nevada, New
Mexico, and Texas, with a
focus on low-to-moderate income communities of color. This program
is designed to provide wraparound support and educational offerings
focusing on financial literacy and content-based topics that cater
to the needs of DreamSpring's small business clients. Current
topics range from credit scores and business planning to climate
sustainability and weatherization to pitch competitions and
networking best practices.
Summerville, North
Carolina
Carolina Teen Center: $2,500 in support of Carolina
Teen Center's Smart Savers Financial Literacy Program, which offers
age-appropriate curricula that promote financial understanding.
Students can open a savings account with no minimum balance, and
they will earn interest on money they've saved. This program
contains ten lessons with hands-on, cross-curricular activities
that engage elementary and middle school students ages 8-14. The
Smart Savers Program includes four goals: to introduce basic
financial concepts, develop money management skills, cultivate
saving habits, and foster an understanding of the value of money
and responsible spending. Carolina Teen Center's overall mission is
to empower at risk youth and students with learning disabilities in
underserved communities and their families by promoting healthy
habits through recreational activities, education and prevention
services through evidence-based programs and wraparound
services.
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. To learn more about Union Home Mortgage and its
efforts in the community, please visit www.uhm.com and
www.uhmfoundation.org.
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SOURCE Union Home Mortgage