Program Provides $50,000 in Grant Support and an Opportunity for Virtual Leadership Training
Wichita, Kan. – Wichita Habitat for Humanity’s Repair Program which is focused on making repairs to existing homes in low-and moderate-income neighborhoods will be able to scale up, helping even more people through a multi-year grant from Bank of America. Wichita Habitat for Humanity has been named as a 2021 Bank of America Neighborhood Champion for its work in Wichita and Sedgwick County as a whole addressing community development through building affordable, safe places to live.
As part of the program, Wichita Habitat will receive $50,000 in grant support and an opportunity for engagement in virtual leadership training delivered by experts in the nonprofit sector on topics like human capital management, increasing financial sustainability and storytelling.
Wichita Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit dedicated to improving lives through affordable homeownership, as affordable housing allows hardworking citizens in the Wichita community to break the cycle of poverty and chart a path for career development. Since October 1986, Wichita Habitat has partnered with more than 300 families, providing them with a hand up so they can create healthy, successful futures. Most recently, Wichita Habitat completed building more than 50 homes in the “Rock the Block” neighborhood and continues to build homes within the community. The grant will help support plans to expand services beyond the existing boundaries and to service existing homeowners in the area with the Repair Program.
“As communities continue to recover and navigate a changing landscape, nonprofits are still experiencing significant demands and are in need of resources to help the demand for affordable housing,” said Shawn Lancelot, President, Bank of America Wichita. “Wichita Habitat for Humanity helps bridge important gaps for individuals and families to help them chart a path toward economic opportunity and stability. Programs like Neighborhood Champions helps these organizations grow sustainably and strategically for greater positive impact in the community.”
“Wichita Habitat for Humanity offers a hand up, not a handout, by not only building homes, but building homeowners, “said Danielle Johnson, Executive Director, Wichita Habitat for Humanity. “With the support of Bank of America, we can continue this mission and foresee continued growth of our Repair Program, which allows for homeowners to maintain their homes and to keep our community thriving.”
Alongside Wichita, the bank will bring the program to over 42 additional communities across the U.S. this fall as part of its commitment to investing in the long-term health of communities. The Neighborhood Champions program is invitation-only for nonprofits who are poised to take their work to the next level. Leading members of the community participated in a collaborative selection process to identify this year’s awardee.
The Neighborhood Champions program is an extension of the bank’s signature philanthropic initiative, Neighborhood Builders®, the largest corporate philanthropic investment in nonprofit leadership in the country. Since the program’s inception in 2019, Bank of America has invested $6.3 million in 126 organizations within 42 communities through the Neighborhood Champions program.
Bank of America At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).
