Housing Families First receives national grant

Henrico-based Housing Families First has been selected to receive a $2.5 million grant from the Day 1 Families Fund, which will help nearly 500 children and adults exit homelessness into permanent housing during the next four years.

Housing Families First helps families experiencing homelessness through three programs: an emergency shelter for families, rapid re-housing to quickly move families into their own homes, and diversion efforts to help some families avoid homelessness altogether.  Funding from the grant will also make possible shelter modifications and upgrades to provide space and furnishings for an additional 160 family members to access emergency shelter.

"This investment from the Day 1 Families Fund will transform not only the lives of literally hundreds of families who will be able to quickly move out of shelters and the streets into permanent homes, but also the long-term effectiveness of homeless services for families throughout the Richmond region," said Beth Vann-Turnbull, executive director of Housing Families First. "We could not be more honored, humbled, and excited about this amazing opportunity from Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos.”

Housing Families First is one of 24 nonprofits around the nation to receive the first Day 1 Families Fund grants, totaling $97.5 million.  All the nonprofits – including Northern Virginia Family Service, another Virginia recipient – address homelessness.

To learn more about Housing Families First, visit housingfamiliesfirst.org.

Founded by Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos, the Bezos Day One Fund consists of two programs: the Day 1 Families Fund that provides grants to nonprofit organizations fighting homelessness, and the Day 1 Academies Fund that will fund and build a network of pre-schools in low-income communities across the country. For details about the fund, visit www.BezosDayOneFund.org/Day1FamiliesFund.