Lifting Up Westchester Receives $150,000 Housing for Everyone Grant from the TD Charitable Foundation
Support from the TD Charitable Foundation will help Lifting Up Westchester expand services to individuals experiencing homelessness and hunger to restore their self-sufficiency and independence.
Lifting Up Westchester, an organization serving men, women, and children in Westchester County experiencing homelessness and hunger, 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®. Lifting Up Westchester is one of 33 organizations selected from more than 357applicants 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 expand housing, employment, life skills, health and wellbeing, and post-shelter case management services to assist individuals experiencing homelessness and hunger in Westchester County in restoring their self-sufficiency and independence.
Individuals emerging from homelessness face multiple challenges when starting to live independently. The support from the TD Charitable Foundation will help Lifting Up Westchester expand our proven model to increase the success rate of individuals leaving shelters in Westchester County so they never experience homelessness again.
The housing affordability crisis has worsened over the past two years impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and housing organizations have worked tirelessly to meet the increasing need for assistance for 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, housing search assistance, and transitional support, many individuals and families will struggle to find or risk losing a safe, affordable place to call home.
"Homelessness is primarily an economic issue that most deeply impacts those who lack of a strong support system. While many people think that people the unhoused do not want to work, that could not be farther from the truth. 35% of our clients work full-time jobs and 60% work part-time. Often it is one catastrophic event like the loss of a spouse or a serious illness that causes an individual to suddenly not be able to afford the rent. We believe everyone deserves to be supported in their time of need so they can restore their independence. It makes them and our community stronger," said Anahaita N. Kotval, CEO of Lifting Up Westchester.
"Individuals and families are still facing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly when it comes to finding and keeping a safe, affordable place to call home. Fortunately, our community has a trusted partner like Lifting Up Westchester that has a proven model that helps lift people out of homelessness. With the support from the TD Charitable Foundation, I am confident that Lifting Up Westchester will be able to help more of our vulnerable neighbors by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to help them feel confident about the future," said Andrew Bregenzer, Regional President for Metro New York at TD Bank.
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 https://www.td.com/us/en/about-us/communities/ready-commitment/funding-opportunities/housing-for-everyone/.
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About Lifting Up Westchester
Each year, Lifting Up Westchester supports 3,000 men, women, and children experiencing homelessness and hunger by providing safety, restoring their resilience and building a foundation for self-sufficiency. We support our neighbors in overcoming barriers and challenges with critical resources like nutritious food, shelter, access to healthcare, education and employment services, decent housing, and the support system people need to restore their independence. We welcome community members to learn more at a Journey Home Experience event. Register for this free one hour event at www.liftingupwestchester.org/thejourneyhome.
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: https://www.tdbank.com/corporate-responsibility/the-ready-commitment/
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 https://www.tdbank.com/corporate-responsibility/the-ready-commitment/funding-opportunities/.
MARCH 31, 2022