Last Updated on December 9, 2021 by Maggie Looker
Since 2015, Homes for Heroes Foundation has been providing assistance to heroes in the community. What began as critical housing assistance on an individual basis has evolved to monthly $5,000 to $10,000 grants from the Foundation to nonprofits across the country. As the needs of heroes grew, so did the need to increase the grants. The Homes for Heroes Foundation is proud to announce that they surpassed $1 million in grants in December, 2021.
“Our heroes serve and support us every day, and we are very honored to have helped thousands of heroes in turn rise up and out of difficult circumstances.” said Homes for Heroes Foundation Director, Lisa Welsh. “A million dollars in grants has a tremendous impact not only on those heroes, but also their families, and the nonprofits and communities that are involved.”
Giving Getting Bigger and Bigger
The Homes for Heroes Foundation started off as a way to provide even more assistance to heroes in the community who needed additional resources as it applied to housing needs. Foundation grants started as individual need-based grants. For example, it could be a grant for $500 for a security deposit for a military veteran, $250 for a past due electric bill for a nurse, or $1,000 to avoid eviction for a firefighter.
As time went on, the Foundation changed their approach. Instead of helping individuals, they turned their attention to local and national nonprofits. These organizations are already involved in their communities. They knew the needs of their clients, knew where to get assistance at the local level, and the best way to distribute it. By granting funds to these nonprofits, the Homes for Heroes Foundation was able to start making larger impacts.
Circle of Giving is the Foundation
The Homes for Heroes Foundation connects to the nonprofits they work with through the Homes for Heroes Inc. real estate and mortgage affiliates. A benefit of being an affiliate is the opportunity to nominate a nonprofit to receive a grant. There is a nomination process and vetting process to assure that the receiving nonprofit fits one of the Foundation’s three areas of focus: housing crises, disaster relief, and assistance for the health or family of a hero.
Funding for the Homes for Heroes Foundation comes directly from the Circle of Giving, Homes for Heroes unique giving cycle. When a Homes for Heroes real estate agent or lending specialist helps a hero close on a home purchase, sale, or refinance, a portion of the closing amount goes to the Foundation. Then, those funds can go back into the community through grants to nonprofits. Homes for Heroes Inc. also covers 100% of the operating costs of the Homes for Heroes Foundation. That means all donations and contributions make their way back to heroes in need.
One in a Million
The grant that pushed the Homes for Heroes Foundation over the $1 million milestone threshold happened to be when Homes for Heroes Inc. served their 50,000th hero. The 50,000th hero, Stefan, is a police officer in Knoxville, Tenn. While his real estate agent Nikki got to surprise Stefan with double his Hero Rewards, the Foundation was able to present the Tennessee Fraternal Order of Police Foundation a grant of $3,000 in honor of Stefan and his law enforcement ties.
The Homes for Heroes Foundation also accepts donations from outside sources such as individuals. If you’d like to read up on some of the past grants provided, you can read about them here. You can also find more about the Homes for Heroes Foundation on their page.
I will be purchasing a home in April and was wondering if I would qualify for assistance with down payment and closing costs; I already have a Lender.
Hi Frank! To receive Hero Rewards, you’ll need to work with a Homes for Heroes real estate agent or mortgage lender. If you are still looking for an agent, you can sign up here and we’ll get you connected!