Salvation Army Austin Receives Multi-million Grant From Jeff Bezos’ Fund
The holiday season is upon us, and so is the season of giving, which is especially important considering everything that has happened this year. For so many people the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruption and financial hardship, and they need help in trying to recover from the impact. The Salvation Army which does millions of charity work during the holiday-fueled by donations got an extra special large donation from one of the richest men in the world, Jeff Bezos. Bezos’s Day 1 Families Fund has awarded a $2.5 million grant to Salvation Army Austin.
This grant is a leadership grant that Day 1 Families Awards to organizations as well as civic groups that work to provide hunger support and shelter for young families, which is a hallmark of the Salvation Army’s Austin’s mission.
Major Lewis Reckline, Austin Area Commander, who runs the Salvation Army Austin spoke on this grant award, this week saying:
We are honored to be one of the recipients of this year’s Day 1 Families Fund grants. This grant will help us to support the growing needs of vulnerable families with children in Travis and Williamson Counties.
Here’s what this grant will go towards:
The funds from this $2.5 million grant will go towards expanding services that the Salvation Army Austin already offers including:
- Hiring and training more shelter staff
- An increase in the financial assistance provided to Salvation Army Austin clients who are moving into safe housing
- An improvement and expansion of current shelter capacity provided by Salvation Army Austin
Currently, Salvation Army Austin operates three low-barrier housing-focused shelters in the Austin area to provide clients with a safe, secure place to stay.
Those shelters offer multiple services aimed at helping people who are struggling, including:
- Case management
- Assistance with rent and utilities
- Therapy
- Childcare
The services and care offered by the Salvation Army Austin have resulted in over 80% of clients transitioning from homeless to housing, which is so incredible. As so many struggle this year, awards like this one make all the difference in helping people, especially families to recover from severe hardship.
We could all use more positive stories like this, especially during the holiday season.
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