STRONGSVILLE, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Union Home Mortgage Foundation, the charitable arm of Union Home Mortgage whose mission is to equip families with the tools and resources needed to achieve economic self-sufficiency, has announced its grant recipients for the first quarter of 2022. The recipients include eight nonprofits in Ohio and Louisiana that received grants totaling $57,500.
With this round of quarterly donations, the Foundation provided support to organizations within its operational footprint who are making a tangible impact in the community through the advancement of financial literacy, workforce development, education and housing access.
“Union Home Mortgage is committed to partnering with organizations helping transform the places in which we live and work,” said Bill Cosgrove, President & CEO of Union Home Mortgage and Chairman of the Foundation. “Through their efforts, these nonprofits are helping improve the lives of those in our communities to make a brighter tomorrow possible. We are proud to support these organizations as part of the Foundation’s mission to advance financial literacy, promote personal and career advancement, and make the dream of homeownership attainable for all.”
The first quarter 2022 grant recipients are:
Cleveland, Ohio
- Minds Matter Cleveland - $5,000 in support of the organization’s work to provide ACT preparation and writing materials for 58 students enrolled in its 3-year tutoring program. As part of the weekly program, each student is paired with a volunteer mentor from the community to focus on college readiness skills, such as job interviewing and financial literacy. Currently, 100% of the program’s graduates have been accepted to a 4-year college or university with supporting grants and scholarships.
- Towards Employment - $10,000 to support the program’s Career Pathway model, which annually connects more than 500 people who are facing occupational barriers to a career pathway. The organization also supports 1,400 other program participants with wraparound services like job readiness training, technical training, and work experience opportunities.
- Smart Development Inc. - $2,500 to its Community First Program, which pairs comprehensive case management services with education, workforce connection, social services and civic engagement programs to serve a diverse clientele, including Cleveland’s refugee and immigrant population. Services may include soft skills training, digital literacy, homebuyer education, and complimentary minor home repair services. In 2021, Smart Development Inc. served more than 4,850 individuals throughout the community.
- OhioGuidestone - $7,500 in support of its Workforce 360° YouthBuild Program—a comprehensive academic and occupational training program that combines workforce development training, leadership development, and community service projects to help stabilize at-risk young adults and empower them for personal and professional success. In 2021, 62 students were enrolled in the organization’s professional development program that focused on guiding students on two credentialed career path certifications: the National Center for Construction Education and Research construction credential and the State Tested Nursing Assistant certification for Ohio.
- Seeds of Literacy - $7,500 to support the safe return of the organization’s in-person classroom experience model, which provides free one-on-one tutoring and GED preparation to area adults. Seeds’ adult education program, which focuses on math, reading and digital literacy skills, is expected to serve more than 1,000 adults over the next year.
Akron, Ohio
- Habitat for Humanity Summit County - $10,000 to go towards its New Home Construction Program. Annually, Habitat for Humanity builds between 10 to 12 homes in Summit County, Ohio, and creates housing opportunities for 45 low- to moderate-income families each year when factoring in the program’s home repair efforts.
Marion, Ohio
- Marion Matters - $5,000 to support its “Getting Ahead in a Just-Getting-By World” program. This 10-week program helps 10 participants examine their own experiences in poverty and the issues that impact it. Participants are guided through an assessment of their resources and create a plan to move towards self-sufficiency.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- The Life of a Single Mom - $10,000 to provide 50 single moms with free access to its online Single Mom University, where participants can access more than 150 self-paced courses that cover the topics of parenting, financial literacy and workforce development. Overall, the organization enrolls 2,500 new single moms onto the platform annually.
“Union Home Mortgage is proud to partner with organizations around the country working every day to provide essential services for those in need,” said Christina Fagan, the Foundation’s Executive Director. “These organizations have all developed programs that meet the traditionally underserved members of our communities where they are at to provide them with tools to create lasting change for their future. Each has had incredible success with their efforts, and we are so grateful to be a part of their journey.”
Since its inception in 2015, the Foundation has distributed more than $1 million in financial support to nonprofits in 14 states. For more information on the Union Home Mortgage Foundation, visit www.uhmfoundation.org, call 440.536.3496 or email cfagan@uhm.com.
About the Union Home Mortgage Foundation
The Union Home Mortgage Foundation was established in 2015 as the charitable arm of independent mortgage banking company Union Home Mortgage Corp (UHM). The Foundation’s mission is to equip individuals and families with the tools and resources to achieve economic self-sufficiency, specifically through education, career readiness, financial literacy and housing. The Foundation has awarded over $1 million since its inception toward these programs to help guide families on a pathway towards responsible homeownership. Union Home Mortgage Corp is a high-growth, full-service retail, wholesale and consumer direct lender with over 150 branches across the U.S. and over $13 billion in responsible lending per year. To learn more about Union Home Mortgage and their efforts in the community, please visit https://www.uhm.com/.