AUSTIN, Texas - The Salvation Army of Austin has been selected to receive a $2.5 million grant from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' Day 1 Families Fund.
The fund, launched in 2018, is granting $105.9 million this year to 42 nonprofits across the U.S. helping families gain housing support and stability. The Salvation Army of Austin is the only one in Texas to receive the third annual grant.
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Salvation Army adapting to pandemic with revised Angel Tree and Red Kettle programs
On Good Day Austin Sunday morning, Casey Claiborne and Chelsea Andrew spoke with Major Lewis Reckline with the Salvation Army about how they’re adapting to Covid-19 by making some changes to the Angel Tree and Red Kettle programs.
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“We are honored to be one of the recipients of this year’s Day 1 Families Fund grants,” said Major Lewis Reckline, Austin Area Commander. “This grant will help us to support the growing needs of vulnerable families with children in Travis and Williamson Counties.”
The Salvation Army says that this one-time grant will enable the organization to expand and bolster its existing services, including the addition of shelter staff, an increase in financial and housing assistance to clients moving into safe housing, and an improvement in shelter capacity to serve more families. The Salvation Army operates three low-barrier, housing-focused shelters in Austin offering services such as case management, rental and utility assistance, therapy, and childcare, resulting in 80% of case-managed households transitioning from homelessness to housing last year.
RELATED: Salvation Army of Austin to open new 212-bed Rathgeber Center Wednesday
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Helping those in need through Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign
Officials say the campaign could see a 50% decrease in funds raised through the red kettles due to impact of COVID-19. Salvation Army's National Commander Kenneth Hodder, Dallas Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones, and Cowboys Executive VP and Chief Brand Officer Charlotte Jones have more on how you can help this year.
To select these organizations, the fund worked with an advisory board of homelessness advocates and leaders whose expertise spans housing justice, racial equity, direct services, homelessness policy, equity for Native American communities, and anti-poverty work.
RELATED: FOX 7 Discussion: COVID-19 in Austin's homeless population
This year, the grant recipients from around the country include:
- Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness
- The Cathedral Center, Inc.
- Catholic Charities of Acadiana
- Coalition for Homelessness Intervention & Prevention
- Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida
- Community Action Council for Lexington-Fayette, Bourbon, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Inc.
- Congreso de Latinos Unidos
- Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio
- Denver Indian Family Resource Center
- East Los Angeles Women’s Center
- East Oakland Community Project
- Facing Forward to End Homelessness
- Families Together
- Family Life Center
- Friendship Place
- HELP of Southern Nevada
- The Homeless Families Foundation
- Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System
- HOPE Atlanta
- House of Ruth
- Housing Matters
- Housing Up
- Kahumana
- MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership, Inc.
- Metro Denver Homeless Initiative
- MUST Ministries
- The National Center for Children and Families
- Native American Youth and Family Center
- North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness
- One80 Place
- Poverello House
- Rainbow Services
- Refugee Women's Alliance
- Safe Haven Family Shelter
- Samaritan House
- Solid Ground
- St. Vincent de Paul CARES
- Su Casa – Ending Domestic Violence
- The Salvation Army Austin Area Command
- Time for Change Foundation
- United American Indian Involvement, Inc.
- WestCare California
The Bezos Day One Fund was launched in 2018 with a commitment of $2 billion and a focus on two areas: funding existing nonprofits that help homeless families, and creating a network of new, nonprofit tier-one preschools in low-income communities. For more information on the Day 1 Families Fund, click here.
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