Program areas at The Humanities Foundation
Affordable housing program: as a non-profit developer, Humanities Foundation plays a crucial role in facilitating affordable housing projects from inception to completion. Our organization serves various roles, ranging from general partner and managing member to developer, allowing us to access funds exclusively available to nonprofit entities. We provide essential financing to projects and collaborate with construction professionals, including engineers, architects, and builders, to realize affordable housing developments. Upon construction completion, Humanities Foundation engages professional management companies to handle property marketing, leasing, and maintenance. (continued at schedule o)
Shelternet program: The Humanities Foundation's shelternet program provides critical support to families and individuals facing crises or setbacks. By extending emergency financial assistance, we empower them to remain in their homes and safeguard vital utility services, including gas, electricity, and water. This initiative is targeted at recipients whose incomes fall below 50% of The area median income. To ensure The program's sustainability, shelternet's operating costs are covered by The Foundation's operational funds. Since its inception, The program has assisted more than 55,000 individuals in their times of need.
Affordable housing development: our organization offers services that identify new opportunities for affordable housing and assess The feasibility of developments intended to benefit low-income families and seniors. Collaborating closely with our partners, Humanities Foundation actively pursues sites that qualify for low-income housing tax credits (lihtc). Through innovative funding strategies, we have harnessed resources such as community development block grants (cdbg), home funds, federal home loan bank funds, lowcountry housing trust contributions, and other grants. These resources have enabled us to develop over 2,500 affordable housing units across south carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, and Virginia.
Resident services and marketplace food program: our marketplace program, operated in collaboration with strategic partners like local churches, school districts, food pantries, and community organizations, strives to alleviate food insecurity. Utilizing a fleet of six refrigerated cargo vans and coordinated efforts by dedicated staff, we distribute food to apartment residents, organize community distributions, and address food deserts. Since its launch in 2014, The program has delivered over 5.1 million pounds of fresh food, equivalent to one meal per pound. Additionally, we're actively expanding our telemedicine program to bridge The gap caused by transportation challenges, enabling low-income seniors to connect with their healthcare providers through video services from The comfort of their homes. Our transportation services not only facilitate access to community events, health fairs, and educational programs but also foster a sense of camaraderie among residents during shopping trips. We take pride in offering after-school and summer programs that feature a diverse range of activities, including educational tours, arts and crafts, sports and recreation, entrepreneurship, technology workshops, and mentoring. These programs are a tribute to The memory of reverend clementa pinckney, a fervent advocate for education and youth development. In response to The tragic events of 2015 at The mother emanuel ame church in charleston, sc, these initiatives stand as a testament to our commitment to community enrichment. In The wake of The covid-19 pandemic that emerged in march 2020, The Humanities Foundation has intensified its resident services and community outreach efforts. To date, we've provided emergency financial assistance to more than 55,000 families, ensuring their access to utility services to prevent disconnection or eviction. Our marketplace food pantry program has contributed to over 5 million distributed meals through more than 350 curbside food distributions. Furthermore, we've assisted residents with information about virtual healthcare options, financial support, and access to telecommunications for remote learning, acknowledging The evolving needs of our community.