Welcome House, Inc. has received a $1.25 million grant from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez through the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund.
The grant builds on the $1.25 million Day 1 Families Fund grant received in 2019. This is the seventh year that the Day 1 Families Fund has awarded grants to organizations across the country that are leading the way to move the needle on family homelessness with the goal of ensuring that no child sleeps outside.
“This grant is a game-changing investment that empowers us to push boundaries in how homelessness is addressed, particularly in Kentucky’s underserved areas,” said Danielle Amrine, CEO of Welcome House, Inc. “With this support, we’ll have the resources to develop strategic, sustainable solutions that turn the possibility of ending homelessness for Kentucky families into a reality.”
Family homelessness in the U.S. rose dramatically from 2022 to 2023, and families now represent more than 28 percent of the country’s homeless population, according to a 2024 report from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. With this second Day 1 Families Fund grant, Welcome House, Inc. will work to reverse this national trend by serving families experiencing homelessness in Kentucky.
With its first Day 1 Families Fund grant, Welcome House expanded its capacity to serve families experiencing homelessness by building a 20,000-square-foot facility for women, children and families. Opened in 2023, the new shelter doubled Welcome House’s capacity and now provides trauma-sensitive support, serving up to 65 family members, including two-parent families. Since 2020, the facility has provided shelter to over 150 families, with 74% successfully transitioning into stable housing.
Welcome House, Inc. plans to use its new Day 1 Families Fund grant to extend its support for families experiencing homelessness in rural areas across Kentucky. The funds will allow Welcome House to expand its outreach, enhance housing assistance and address barriers that prevent rural families from securing stable homes.
A group of national advisors who are leading experts on family homelessness and its solutions, including the intersection of homelessness and housing policy, child welfare, racial equity and service provision, identified the organizations selected for funding.
“Families experiencing homelessness – especially those in rural areas – are an often-overlooked aspect of the homelessness issue,” said Jason Spauling, chairman of the Welcome House Board of Directors. “We appreciate the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund’s recognition that Welcome House’s approach moves the needle on family homelessness. Their support will help us do more for families in need across Kentucky.”
Since 2018, the Day 1 Families Fund has awarded 248 grants totaling nearly $750 million to organizations serving families in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The grants are uniquely flexible and enable organizations to support families experiencing homelessness—including those who are unsheltered or staying in shelters—to regain safe, stable housing and achieve well-being.
This year, the Fund issued a total of $110.5 million in grants to 40 organizations, and for the first time, nonprofits in Kansas and New Jersey are among the awardees. The other organization receiving a grant in Kentucky is The Coalition for the Homeless in Louisville. The full list of awardees is available at bezosdayonefund.org/day1familiesfund.
Read full article: https://nkytribune.com/2024/11/welcome-house-receives-1-25m-bezos-day-1-families-grant-to-move-needle-on-family-homelessness/
