Funding Powers Initiatives at the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 24, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — With Thanksgiving approaching, and millions of homeless and poor Americans struggling with hunger and the cold, the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty today announced it has received a $75,000 from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. This support comes at a critical time, as the Law Center works to help implement the first-ever Federal Plan to End Homelessness.
“There’s an incredible need right now to address the nation’s affordable housing crisis, and to bring the dignity and security of home to every American,” said Maria Foscarinis, executive director of the Law Center. “Bank of America’s support will help us work toward that goal, and in this season of gratitude, we are so thankful for their generous contribution.”
“The economic downturn has created a new wave of homeless individuals and families on top of those who were already living on the streets. Bank of America knows that ensuring vulnerable populations have access to basic services is critical to revitalizing our nation’s economy,” said Angie Garcia Lathrop, community affairs executive, Bank of America. “That is why Bank of America works with leading nonprofits like the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty to help bring innovative solutions to bear in our shared efforts to end homelessness.”
For the more than 44 million Americans living in poverty, this Thanksgiving won’t be a time of celebration. As a result of the economic crisis, we continue to see high unemployment and dramatic increases in homelessness across the country.
Since 1989, the Law Center has been a national leader on homelessness, working through advocacy, public education and litigation to address its root causes. In June, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness released the first-ever Federal Plan to End Homelessness, which the Law Center played a key role in crafting.
The Law Center will work with federal and local governments, as well as nonprofit groups across the country, to create fiscally responsible housing solutions that keep people in their homes and off the streets. And for those forced to live their lives in public, it will fight to end the criminalization of homelessness, through which homeless people are punished for engaging in life-sustaining acts like sleeping or eating in public.
“It’s not acceptable to allow any family to spend Thanksgiving cold and hungry,” said Foscarinis. “Together, with partners like Bank of America, we’ll keep fighting, and we won’t stop until homelessness is eradicated in the United States.”
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The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty’s mission is to prevent and end homelessness by serving as the legal arm of the national movement. To achieve its mission, the Law Center pursues three main strategies: impact litigation, policy advocacy, and public education.
Contact:
Whitney Gent
Email:
Phone: 316-655-3333 (cell)
