Wells Fargo, one of America’s leading community banks and the nation’s largest home mortgage lender, today announced donations totaling $725,000 shared across five Orlando-based nonprofits. The grants are part of more than $3.5 million in funds committed to local nonprofits in four Florida cities through Wells Fargo’s NeighborhoodLIFTSM program. The initiative will help further the local recovery of neighborhoods deeply affected by the housing crisis.
The local grant recipients were identified in close collaboration with the City of Orlando and Mayor Buddy Dyer to assist the City in four key areas, including:
- Transitional and permanent supported housing, shelter and support services for the homeless
- Homeownership, affordable housing construction and rehabilitation
- Neighborhood beautification and improvement
- Workforce development programs
Five non-profits will receive the Wells Fargo grants for the following purposes:
- Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida will receive $220,000 in support of their efforts to provide food, shelter and supportive services to homeless veterans in the Orlando community;
- Orlando Neighborhood Improvement Corporation (ONIC) will receive $215,000 for its work with affordable rental housing development;
- HANDS of Central Florida will receive $215,000 to support affordable housing rehabilitation;
- Keep Orlando Beautiful will receive $25,000 in support of neighborhood beautification;
- Goodwill Industries of Central Florida will receive $50,000 to benefit the organization’s workforce development programs.
“Helping our families and residents achieve the American dream of homeownership is a key priority for the City of Orlando,” said Dyer in a statement. “We are proud to partner with Wells Fargo and these local organizations to make a meaningful impact on advancing the recovery of our communities by continuing to provide affordable housing options and further stabilizing our neighborhoods.”
The grants are funded by Wells Fargo Foundation as part of Wells Fargo’s NeighborhoodLIFTSM program announced last year, an innovative effort created to help stabilize neighborhoods and help people buy homes by making properties more affordable with down payment assistance available for eligible prospective buyers.
“The selected nonprofits are actively leading efforts to help our local communities rebound after the housing crisis,” said Larisa Perry, Wells Fargo’s Regional President in Central Florida. “Based on input we received from the city, we believe it appropriate to further support them with the NeighborhoodLIFT program local initiatives funds.”
In addition to the local non-profit grants, Wells Fargo previously awarded $7 million in grants and program support through the NeighborhoodLIFT program focused on helping the City of Orlando with down payment assistance grants, homebuyer support programs and local initiatives to help consumers achieve successful, sustainable home ownership. In Orlando, more than $4.6 million is still available for down payment assistance grants of $15,000 for local eligible homebuyers.
To learn more about eligibility for the NeighborhoodLIFT SM program, go to at www.neighborhoodlift.org. To apply for down payment assistance, prospective homebuyers can also contact InCharge Debt Solutions at 1 800-565-8953.
