JACKSONVILLE, FL – Ability Housing, a nonprofit developer of affordable rental housing, was recently awarded a $150,000 Housing for Everyone grant from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®. Ability Housing is one of 33 organizations selected from more than 357 applicants to receive a Housing for Everyone grant as part of the TD Charitable Foundation's annual grant program helping to provide affordable housing since 2005.
The grant will support the expansion of Ability Housing’s Northeast Florida Villages Program, which comprises 332 units of quality, affordable, supportive housing. The organization will also develop and implement new programs designed to empower residents to increase their earnings, financial assets and resilience — both from an economic and psychological perspective.
To support these goals, Ability Housing will contract with Lutheran Social Services (LSS) to bring residents access to the Steps 2 Success and Financial Opportunity Center. Ability Housing also plans to increase its case management capacity to aid eligible residents in applying for Social Security disability benefits, Medicaid/Medicare coverage and behavioral care with local federally qualified health centers.
The housing affordability crisis has worsened over the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and housing organizations have worked tirelessly to meet the increasing need for assistance from individuals and families. The growing need for assistance has strained affordable housing organizations and made it difficult to continue delivering critical resources and services.
Without resident services from affordable housing providers, like eviction assistance and housing search assistance, many individuals and families will struggle to find or risk losing a safe, affordable place to call home. Ability Housing aims to leverage its Housing for Everyone grant to fulfill residents’ short-term housing needs, as well as their long-term financial goals.
“As a nonprofit housing developer, we have the mission and focus to do everything in our power to support our residents’ success; to us, the housing we provide is a tool to achieve a better quality of life for the tenants and the community,” said Shannon Nazworth, President and CEO of Ability Housing. “This funding from the TD Charitable Foundation will expand our capacity to deliver programming and services focusing on financial empowerment. We are committed to leveraging this generous support to achieve our goal of eliminating intergenerational poverty within our communities.”
"The resources and support provided by Ability Housing have helped improve the lives of so many in our community. The TD Charitable Foundation is proud to support Ability Housing, and we are confident the support from this Housing for Everyone grant will help the organization empower those in need to achieve both their short and long-term financial goals," said Nick Miceli, Florida Regional President at TD Bank and Board Chair of the TD Charitable Foundation.
The TD Charitable Foundation awarded $5.8 million through the 16th annual Housing for Everyone grant competition to a total of 33 organizations across TD Bank's Maine-to-Florida footprint and Michigan to help support affordable housing organizations provide critical resident services. Since 2005, the TD Charitable Foundation has given more than $42 million dollars to non-profit and charitable organizations through the Housing for Everyone grant competition and helped support over 500 affordable housing projects and initiatives.
The Housing for Everyone grant competition supports TD's longstanding commitment to community enrichment through TD's corporate citizenship platform, The Ready Commitment, which actively promotes inclusivity, economic vitality and environmental wellbeing, enabling people of all backgrounds to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
To learn more about Housing for Everyone and for a full list of this year's grant recipients, please visit www.td.com.
About Ability Housing: Ability Housing is an industry-leading not-for-profit multifamily rental housing developer dedicated to creating high-quality affordable housing. We invest in communities through properties that enhance their surrounding neighborhoods, improve each community’s quality of life, and connect residents with a network of voluntary support services. For more information, visit AbilityHousing.org, like the organization on Facebook (facebook.com/AbilityHousing) and follow on Twitter (@AbilityHousing).
About Housing for Everyone: Since inception in 2005, the TD Charitable Foundation's annual Housing for Everyone grant competition has awarded more than $42 million to over 500 affordable housing initiatives. The Housing for Everyone grant competition supports TD's longstanding commitment to community enrichment through TD's corporate citizenship platform, The Ready Commitment, which actively promotes inclusivity, economic vitality and environmental wellbeing, enabling people of all backgrounds to succeed in a rapidly changing world. As part of The Ready Commitment, TD targets US $775 million in total contributions toward community giving by 2030 in four critical areas: Financial Security, a more Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through this platform, TD aspires to create a more inclusive tomorrow — helping people of all backgrounds feel more confident, not just about their finances, but about their ability to achieve their goals. Visit: www.tdbank.com
About the TD Charitable Foundation: The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®, one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $282 million through donations to local nonprofits from Maine to Florida. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation is available at www.tdbank.com