Catholic Social Services – Alaska continues to do good things. Last week they announced they are recipients of a $100,000 grant from Wells Fargo to strengthen their efforts to provide permanent housing to homeless individuals and families. I continue to be so impressed with our Catholic Social Services, their director, Lisa Aquino, their board of directors and staff. This Catholic organization truly lives up to their mission of Serving Anchorage’s most vulnerable by providing the help and support they need most.
I wish to also acknowledge the generosity of Wells Fargo! Thanks for ‘sharing the wealth.’ It is nice to share this good news with all of you.
3ANCHORAGE – OCTOBER 30, 2018 – Catholic Social Services – Alaska today announced a $100,000 neighborhood revitalization grant from Wells Fargo Housing Foundation. Catholic Social Services – Alaska is one of 50 nonprofits to receive a total of $6 million in funding through the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation 2018 Priority Markets Program.
”We are so grateful that Wells Fargo selected us as a recipient of the Housing Foundation 2018 Priority Markets Program,” said Lisa Aquino, Executive Director of Catholic Social Services – Alaska. “Over the years, Wells Fargo’s support of Catholic Social Services – Alaska has been instrumental in enabling us to enhance and maintain services offered by our seven programs, including Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services as well as Clare House, our shelter for homeless women and children. Wells Fargo is a leader in helping us tackle difficult issues, and we are honored to be one of the 50 nonprofits that received this grant.”
Catholic Social Services – Alaska is using this grant for Path to Independence, a program which quickly houses individuals and families experiencing homelessness and helps them remain housed permanently. Path to Independence allows Catholic Social Services – Alaska to address homelessness in Anchorage in innovative ways. Not only are homeless individuals and families quickly transitioned into housing, our shelter facilities are relieved of pressure, and private landlords are engaged as partners, investors, and proponents. Path to Independence promotes self-sufficiency and reduces instances of recurrent shelter stays among potentially employable low-income persons. In less than a month, six families have transitioned to permanent housing.
“Catholic Social Services and its leadership team have proven time and time again how committed they are to giving Alaskans a hand up to transform lives and strengthen our communities,” said Wells Fargo Alaska Region Bank President Greg Deal. “The impact of each dollar invested through our Priority Markets program is magnified when the business community works with nonprofits like Catholic Social Services to solve complex challenges like homelessness. We applaud all of the Path to Independence collaborators and supporters for the invaluable work they are doing to provide sustainable housing for Alaskans in need.”
The 2018 Wells Fargo Housing Foundation Priority Markets Program supports projects, programs and initiatives focused on neighborhood revitalization and helps remove barriers to sustainable housing in low- and moderate-income communities. Since 2009, the program has donated grants totaling $54 million to nonprofits in more than 125 communities.
Wells Fargo Priority Markets grant recipients were selected from applications submitted by nonprofits identified as leading large-scale affordable housing projects. Recipients must be 501(c)(3) organizations with successful histories of supporting low- to moderate-income communities.
About Catholic Social Services – Alaska
Catholic Social Services – Alaska seeks to create permanent stability and offer compassionate care for all its clients. With partners such as Cook Inlet Housing Authority, Weidner Apartment Homes, and the Rasmuson Foundation, Catholic Social Services – Alaska leads the way in designing and implementing innovative models to tackle complex problems, such as those related to homelessness. Using these models, Catholic Social Services – Alaska works with dedicated community leaders and staff to remove barriers to sustainable housing, allowing more than 400 Anchorage families in Catholic Social Services – Alaska’s programs to be housed last year.