PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--RiseUp Fund, a 501(c)(3) designated non-profit, created by Houwzer to provide a pathway to homeownership for underserved families, has received a $10,000 donation from ESSA Bank & Trust, a Stroudsburg-based community bank. ESSA Bank joins the growing number of companies that donate to the community and recognize the importance of making housing more accessible. This donation will be used to sponsor two low-income families in Delaware County, Pennsylvania with $5,000 grants to be used toward closing costs in the purchase of their first home.
“We’re excited to partner with the RiseUp Fund to help in providing innovative ways to increase home ownership in the markets we serve,” said Peter Gray SEVP, Chief Operating Officer of ESSA Bank & Trust.
Using the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) classification as defined by the United Way, RiseUp serves low-to-moderate-income individuals and families who need help to secure their own home.
The RiseUp Fund also offers HUD-certified homebuyer educational seminars, which are mandatory precursors prior to awarding the grant. Awardees are assigned a HUD-Certified Housing Counselor as a mentor to assist them throughout their first year of homeownership to avoid pitfalls and mishaps that are common to first-time homeowners. Awards are based upon demonstrated financial need, geography, and successful completion of a HUD-certified homebuyer education seminar. All programs are offered to the Philadelphia and surrounding counties free of charge.
"We are elated that ESSA Bank & Trust has chosen to invest in us and, by direct extension, into communities who have been left out of the homebuying process. This very generous gift from ESSA Bank & Trust will afford two families the opportunity to purchase their very first home by giving them access to funds and a choice of where they want to live. This begins the process of wealth accumulation for these families for generations to come," said Suzanne Garber, CEO and Executive Director of the RiseUp Fund.
Houwzer, a certified B Corporation since 2016 and the first B Corporation real estate brokerage in the world, donates $100 to the RiseUp Fund for every home it helps its clients buy or sell, with 100% of those funds supporting eligible families with homebuyer grants and programs. The RiseUp Fund also offers Houwzer’s expert salaried agents, affordable mortgage services, and a host of education and mentoring programs to set up traditionally underserved populations for successful homeownership long after the purchase of their first home. To apply for RiseUp or become a partner in the Fund, please visit www.riseupfund.org.
About the RiseUp Fund: RiseUp has a vision that every individual or family who is able to sustain the responsibilities of homeownership can achieve that milestone and build future wealth without discrimination. Our mission is to accelerate generational wealth of the underserved through homeownership. Owning one’s home has always been the clearest path to wealth in America, but without equal rights or access, it’s not always been achievable for many. By leveling the playing field through financial assistance, homebuyer education and mentoring programs, RiseUp supports upward mobility for many families who have been left behind. The Fund adheres to the economic guidelines set forth in the ALICE classification as defined by the United Way. Learn more or apply at www.riseupfund.org.
About Houwzer: Houwzer is a next-generation real estate brokerage and home services company built around the customer. Its full-service, salaried agents and loan officers help homeowners save when they sell and trust when they buy. Houwzer’s proprietary technology is an end-to-end platform that streamlines the entire transaction from beginning to end with an integrated one-stop shopping experience. The company employs unique salaried agents as dedicated seller or buyer agent specialists who receive salary instead of commissions, allowing them to focus on service, not just sales. Houwzer has maintained an industry-leading Net Promoter Score of 84 and an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars from over thousands of client reviews online. Since launching in 2015, Houwzer has saved home sellers along the East Coast over $35 million and helped clients buy or sell thousands of homes worth almost $2 billion. To learn more, visit https://houwzer.com/
About ESSA Bank & Trust:
Headquartered in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, ESSA Bank & Trust has total assets of $1.9 billion and has 21 community offices throughout the Greater Pocono, Lehigh Valley, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and suburban Philadelphia areas. ESSA Bank & Trust offers a full range of commercial and retail financial services, asset management and trust services, investment services through Ameriprise Financial Institutions Group and insurance benefit services through ESSA Advisory Services, LLC. https://essabank.com/
