PROVIDENCE − Two nonprofits in Rhode Island that provide housing services, Sojourner House and Crossroads Rhode Island, received $425,000 from TD Bank for their subsidized housing programs.
Sojourner House, which serves victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking, received $250,000 while Crossroads Rhode Island, which offers supportive services and housing, received $175,000.
How will the groups use the money?
For Sojourner House, the $250,000 will be used for its permanent supportive housing program and will be doubled by the federal government. Sojourner House receives funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, through rental subsidies and for supportive services, Executive Director Vanessa Volz said.
Sojourner House has been expanding its scope into housing, partially in response to the housing crisis. The group was finding people and their children were staying in emergency shelter for eight months to a year, as they were unable to find housing. Then, in 2018, the group got its first big Housing and Urban Development grant for $550,000 and has since started to buy up buildings, in a bid to find permanent housing for their clients. Read more about the organization’s expansion in this feature story.
“We’re not only providing the house, but we’re helping people to get housed, to pay rent, and also helping them stay in the unit and providing trauma-informed support,” she said.
Much of those federal Housing and Urban Development grant dollars that come in require Sojourner House to provide matching funds. That means the TD Bank grant of $250,000 unlocks another $250,000 in federal funding.
“We receiving over $3 million a year in HUD funding, so I know we can spend the extra $250,000,” Volz said.
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The funding from Housing and Urban Development is about 10% of the organizations $10 million budget.
Getting private funding to unlock those federal funds is always hard, Volz said.
“There’s never enough,” she said.
The organization is trying to raise an additional $300,000 during a spring fundraising campaign, including its eighth annual Sojo MoJoe Breakfast, May 25, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Providence Marriot Downtown, at $85 per ticket.
Housing problem solving gets boost
Crossroads Rhode Island received a small grant from TD Bank for $175,000. In all, the bank gave out $7 million to 37 nonprofits in 15 states and the District of Columbia.
Crossroads was awarded the funds for its work on housing problem solving, adding to a $5 million grant it received at the end of last year from the Bezos Day One Fund.
“Housing problem solving” has been touted by President Joseph Biden and been made a key part of the 2022 United States Interagency Council on Homelessness’ strategic plan. Rhode Island previously awarded Crossroads $1 million to further housing problem solving and gave them a contract to coordinate efforts across the state.
It’s not a panacea this time: A $5-million grant helped end RI family homelessness in 2018.
They concept is to solve whatever problems someone has, in hopes of preventing or ending homelessness, like paying off a utility bill, transportation for key things like job interviews, help navigating bureaucracy for things like benefits or needed identification cards, supplies and anything else someone needs.
Sometimes, it’s a new set of luggage for someone to be able to easily move their possessions.
Choosing 37 nonprofits
TD Bank Office of Charitable Giving Director Paige Carlson-Heim said the program to issue grants to nonprofits is in its 18th year and they chose this year to focus on groups helping the unhoused because it has become such a big problem.
It is Sojourner House’s first time getting a grant from the bank, while Crossroads has recieved the grants before.
The theme resonated with nonprofits, as the bank received the most applications ever in its 18 years.
“It was highly, highly, competitive,” she said. “We had 550 applications for 37 awards, and an incredible number of very good applications from different nonprofits to choose from.”
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Reach reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at wcowperthwaite@providencejournal.com or follow him on Twitter @WheelerReporter.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Grants from TD Bank will help ease housing crisis in RI