Housing Opportunity Foundation awards $48,500 to area nonprofits
9/09/2015
Contact: Kim Walker
Contact Phone: 704-940-3149
Charlotte, N.C. – The Housing Opportunity Foundation awarded twelve local nonprofits and eight area Habitat for Humanity agencies a total of $48,500 through the annual Realtor®-directed Habitat Support and Community Grants Programs. The foundation serves as the charitable arm of the Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association and is dedicated to making a difference in the community by creating housing opportunities, promoting homeownership, and positioning and educating Realtors® as leaders.
The Community Grants Program supports area organizations that address unmet housing needs in Mecklenburg and Iredell counties, while the Habitat Support Program is a way to assist area Habitats that are meeting crucial housing needs for low-to-moderate income families. Since the inception of the Habitat Support Program nine years ago and the Community Grants Program seven years ago, Realtor® members have distributed a total of $256,500 to area organizations.
“From the purchase of new mattresses, to helping provide formerly homeless veterans homeownership education, to supporting area Habitats for Humanity, these two grant programs are just one of the many ways our members are able to assist area non-profits that are confronting unmet housing needs within our region,” said Association/Carolina Multiple Listings Services, Inc. (CarolinaMLS) President Maren Brisson-Kuester. “Part of our foundation’s goal is to bring about a better quality of life, and through this member-directed funding we know we’re helping these organizations continue their good work in our community.”
Funds for both grants programs are restricted and must be used by the agencies by Dec. 31, 2015. Funds cannot be used for capital costs, staff/administrative expenses or debt reduction.
The following organizations were awarded Community Grants by the foundation:
- Beds for Kids, Inc.
$2,500 to purchase 30 new Sealy twin mattresses for client families.
Realtor® Referrals: Cullen McNulty, Keller Williams Ballantyne; Shannon Hildreth, Giving Tree Realty; Sarah Salton, HM Properties; Jennifer Wetzel, RE/MAX Executive Realty - Changed Choices
$2,500 to provide stable, sober and supportive housing for six women who would otherwise be homeless upon their return to Charlotte following incarceration.
Realtor® Referrals: Jane Kusterer, Allen Tate Company - Charlotte Community ToolBank
$2,000 to increase the on-site tool inventory to be used primarily in the special event category as well as for tool repairs.
Realtor® Referral: Michael Seaton, RE/MAX Executive Realty - Children’s Hope Alliance
$2,900 to help with the purchase and installation of heavy-duty and tamper-proof “Knox Boxes” on campus buildings housing domestic abuse victims so that emergency / first responders can gain immediate access in the event of an emergency.
Realtor® Referral: Arlene Arciero, Southern Homes of the Carolinas - Community Link
$2,500 to support one formerly homeless veteran with homeownership education and counseling for one year, resulting in that veteran becoming a first-time homeowner.
Realtor® Referral: Dempsey Miller, D Real Estate Company, LLC - Crisis Assistance Ministry
$3,000 purchase inexpensive, unassembled pieces of furniture to be assembled / delivered by volunteers at no cost to families moving from homelessness into housing.
Realtor® Referral: Joseph Naccarato, Allen Tate Company - Diakonos (Fifth Street Ministries)
$2,000 to be applied to the purchase of washers and dryers for use by the residents and individuals that are homeless and / or impoverished.
Realtor® Referral: Sally Parker, Lake Norman Realty, Inc. - Kids First of the Carolinas
$3,000 to provide families with school supplies, food, bedding, towels and furniture.
Realtor® Referral: David Barnhardt, First Charlotte Properties - Men’s Shelter of Charlotte
$2,000 to provide short-term financial assistance to former clients to help maintain their housing through the Housing Disruption Fund.
Realtor® Referral: Frank Deaton, Keller Williams South Park - Safe Alliance
$3,000 for the purchase of 1,704 single-ride bus fares for residents of the Clyde and Ethel Dickson Domestic Violence Shelter.
Realtor® Referral: Lynn Johnson, Savvy + Co. Real Estate - Time Out Youth
$2,000 to support the “Host Home and Emergency Financial Assistance (EFA) Program” providing transitional housing for ten LGBTQ homeless youth and also provide case management to obtain permanent housing.
Realtor® Referral: Tracy Gregg, 5 Points Realty - Vision Possible Ministries
$2,600 to make necessary home improvements to a house that was donated to the non-profit. Following repairs, the home will be used to provide a home for single homeless fathers to ensure they will not be separated from their children.
Realtor® Referrals: Joan Goode, Dickens Mitchener & Co.; Stephanie Cline, Belle Properties
The following Habitat for Humanity organizations were awarded grants from the foundation:
- Habitat for Humanity of Cabarrus County
$1,000 to provide landscaping and/or a shed to complete a local build started by the faith community in Concord. - Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte
$5,000 to be used for the critical repair needs of a home in the Pinecrest community. - Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County
$1,500 to be used to purchase kitchen cabinets for a home currently being renovated in a former mill village in Gastonia. - Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County
$1,500 to be used to provide fixtures and hardware for the renovation of a foreclosed home in Iron Station; home will be utilized by a new family in need. - Habitat for Humanity of Matthews
$1,500 to cover the purchase of needed appliances (washer and dryer, dishwasher, microwave, disposal and ceiling fans) for an upcoming home build project. - Habitat for Humanity of Stanly County
$3,000 to be used for site preparation and site grading for a home build scheduled to fully begin in August. - Our Towns Habitat for Humanity
$2,500 to be used to repair the porch and railing of a home badly damaged by lightning located in Mooresville; these repairs are being made through the Critical Repair Program. - Union-Anson County Habitat for Humanity
$2,500 to be used to purchase building materials for the construction of two new Habitat homes located in Monroe.
The organizations were formally recognized by the Housing Opportunity Foundation, association and community leadership, and supporting donors at the second-annual Opening Hearts, Opening Doors luncheon to celebrate and shine a light on the work area organizations are doing within the region.
For more information about the Housing Opportunity Foundation, the association or CarolinaMLS, visit www.CarolinaHome.com.
The Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association is a trade association that provides its more than 7,800 Realtor® members with the resources and services they need to conduct ethical, professional, successful and profitable businesses. The association is dedicated to being the region's primary resource for residential real estate information. The association operates the Carolina Multiple Listing Services, Inc. (CarolinaMLS), which has more than 9,200 Subscribers and is the private cooperative Realtors® use for access to tens of thousands of residential listings in a multicounty service area, including Charlotte, the Piedmont area of North Carolina and South Carolina, and beyond.
The Housing Opportunity Foundation is the charitable arm of the Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association and is dedicated to funding, education, advocacy and leadership programs that are focused on fair and affordable housing and workforce-housing initiatives. The foundation serves to position and educate Realtors® as leaders, promote homeownership and provide funding to create housing opportunities.
Original Publish Date: 9/9/2015