The WAIT House in Glens Falls was one of only five nonprofit organizations in New York state to be awarded a housing grant from TD Bank as a part of the company’s Housing for Everyone program.
Warren Washington County Homeless Youth Coalition, which runs the WAIT house, was awarded a $175,000 grant, the bank announced.
TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, awarded a total of $7 million to 37 nonprofits across the bank’s national footprint.
“The Housing for Everyone grant program underscores TD’s longstanding commitment to community enrichment, as well as the bank’s efforts to help people live with greater financial confidence through the TD Ready Commitment, TD’s corporate citizenship platform,” the company said.
WAIT House serves youths in Warren and Washington counties “who present as homeless, runaway, or street-involved.” The organization provides supportive housing and related services “necessary to live and grow emotionally, educationally, spiritually, mentally, and physically to become healthy, productive adults,” organization officials said.
As individuals and families across the country struggle with inflation and an exponential rise in rental costs, affordable housing providers face increased hardship given the growing demand for affordable rental units and emergency rental assistance.
“The affordable housing crisis continues to burden the most vulnerable members of our communities and the organizations committed to supporting them,” said Paige Carlson-Heim, director of the charitable foundation. “At TD, we’re committed to doing our part to help create a more sustainable and inclusive future for everyone, and that includes providing access to safe, affordable homes.
“This year’s grant recipients are mission-critical to that work, and the TD Charitable Foundation is proud to support them in their efforts to create a positive impact and a pathway to housing stability in the communities we serve.”
Since 2003, the WAIT House mission has been to provide stability to youth who present themselves as homeless. They accomplish this through the immediate provision of coordinated services; reunification of families where appropriate; the provision of supervised emergency and transitional housing; with the goal of personal responsibility and self-sufficiency.