We are honored to announce that People’s United Bank’s Community Foundation recently awarded Operation Hope a grant of $8,500 for our Supportive Affordable Housing Program. Our affordable housing provides clean and safe permanent rental housing for previously homeless families and individuals. The combination of affordable rent and support services helps our tenants to remain in housing and achieve their ongoing goals. This grant is incredibly important to our clients. During the pandemic, from March 2020 through February 2021, here’s how our affordable housing program helped our neighbors in need:
- Our program housed 101 people, including 25 children
- 82 households have remained housed for 1 year or more
- 100% of clients that exited the program, did so into permanent housing destinations and didn’t fall back into homelessness
We currently operate 70 units of scattered site affordable housing throughout Fairfield. These safe and clean units are home to men, women and families who were previously homeless. An application process helps determine who can live and thrive in our units. Rent is affordable and housing is permanent, so successful tenants can stay as long as they want. Tenants also receive individualized support services on- and off-site from social workers and daily living skills coaches. Ultimately, our goal is to help empower our tenants in attaining self-reliance and stability in their day-to-day lives, and prevent future homelessness. For many, the combination of affordability and support is critical to their success in becoming independent, responsible members of our community.
People’s United Community Foundation has been supporting Operation Hope’s Affordable Housing Program through grants since 2009. (The bank itself supported us prior to 2009, but we were awarded each year since the Foundation entity was created.) People’s United Community Foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations that align with their primary areas of focus and giving priorities of economic stability, employment, education, and housing. We are deeply grateful to People’s for its continued support of our housing program and the people we serve. People’s is helping our clients navigate these important moments so they can build their lives. Time and time again, People’s demonstrates its commitment to community. They are good neighbors to our neighbors in need 🙏🏡🙏