Habitat for Humanity of Broward reports 40 percent of the 500 homeowners it serves have been furloughed, laid off or had their hours cut due to COVID-19.  Now, thanks to an emergency grant from Community Foundation of Broward, Habitat Broward will be able to offer needed counseling, mortgage relief and emergency assistance to families impacted by the crisis.

The grant by the Community Foundation of Broward is one of seven recently awarded to support nonprofit organizations working on the front lines to counter negative impacts of the coronavirus epidemic.

The $88,200 grant will be used to support Habitat Broward staff members who have been reassigned to focus on helping Habitat homeowner families.

“Each day we learn that more and more of our families are experiencing total layoffs, cuts in pay and the prospect of no pay,” said Nancy Robyn, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Broward. “This grant will help fill the gap for families who have served our community faithfully and earned regular wages, yet who now find themselves under served and at risk.”

Community Foundation of Broward has awarded the first seven grants valued at $500,000 to local nonprofit organizations thanks to 12 endowed funds at the Foundation. The funds are Kearns Family Foundation Fund, August Urbanek Family Fund, Marlene Holder Fund for Broward, Jan Moran Unrestricted Fund, David and Francie Horvitz Family Fund, Barbara and Michael G. Landry Fund for Broward, Herschell and Margo Lewis Fund, Drial Foundation Fund, Mary N. Porter Community Impact Fund, Mary and Alex Mackenzie Community Impact Fund, Bank of America Unrestricted Fund, Community Impact Fund.

The Foundation is also working with more than 40 Broward nonprofits to allow the organizations to repurpose more than $1 million in grants to enhance their coronavirus response and/or cover coronavirus-related budget shortfalls.  This increased flexibility has also enabled Mount Olive Baptist Church to prepare meal boxes for pickup by senior clients.  It has also allowed an increased distribution of pet food by the Pet Projects for PET program.

“Broward nonprofits are under intense pressure to meet immediate critical needs in our community as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and its health-related and economic impacts,” said Linda B. Carter, President of Community Foundation of Broward. “At the same time, many nonprofits are taking revenue hits from postponed events and changes to gifts from some donors.  The Community Foundation hopes to help them overcome serious new challenges.”

Community Foundation of Broward is also working to identify additional endowed resources to address Broward’s long-term recovery and the wide-ranging and potentially long-lasting effects of the coronavirus crisis.  The Community Foundation’s long-term strategy will focus on Broward’s Issues That Matter.  They are Broward’s 10 biggest challenges, which have long been a priority for Fundholders and have grown even more daunting due to the coronavirus.

For information on the Community Foundation of Broward, visit www.cfbroward.org.