The Future Fund at the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia will send three checks next week totalling $58,000 to local nonprofits that provide transitional housing programs for the homeless, company officials told the Mercury.
Homestretch, Inc., Transitional Housing BARN, Inc. and United Community Ministries won grants from the McLean-based nonprofit.
“Simply put, the three chosen organizations are amazing!” said Marcy Johnson, co-chair of the Future Fund grants committee. “Their success rates are extremely positive and their powerful programs help those who have shown a true desire in reaching long-term housing stability for themselves and their families.”
The Future Fund, part of Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, supports community nonprofits. The company considered many basic needs in the northern Virginia before deciding on poverty relief, specifically housing for homeless and low-income families for this batch of awards.
“We chose housing because living in this area has made it greatly apparent that the cost of living is so much greater than other areas and that the lack of affordable housing is what leads many individuals and families into poverty and unfortunately homelessness,” said Evan Weintraub, co-chairman of the Future Fund grants committee.
“Many people, including myself before I started this process, didn’t realize the homelessness problem that exists and the impacts that it has to so many aspects of someone’s daily life,” Johnson said.
Transitional Housing BARN, Inc., one of the three grant winners located in Prince William County, plans to use the money to provide up to $2,000 in financial assistance for 10 families once they are permanently housed, said Colin Davis, executive director of Transitional Housing BARN, Inc.
Homestretch, Inc., located in Falls Church, will use the grant money to support housing costs for five homeless families for three months.
The grant awarded to United Community Ministries, located in Alexandria, will be used to support their Journeys Program, which provides transitional housing for families displaced by domestic violence.
The winning organizations were three of 33 applicants that applied last fall. After rounds of review the applications were narrowed to eight. Future Fund members made site visits and the list narrowed to five. The entire Future Fund membership voted on the five with the top three organizations winning.
“This was a time consuming, but extremely rewarding process,” Weintraub said. “We strongly felt that combating homelessness, especially moving children into stable situations, gives them the confidence and environment to ensure they do not ‘repeat the cycle’ or lack the self esteem to look for a brighter future for themselves.”
A nonprofit corporation based in McLean, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia serves communities in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties. It works to "nurture philanthropy and strengthen our community" through giving, leadership and research, their website says. The Future Fund is group of about 100 professionals who donate to various causes.
The three awardees will be officially recognized at the Future Funds' Awards Gala at the Artisphere this May.
