Loans: Human Services

Judeo Christian Outreach Center (JCOC) fights hunger and homelessness by serving over 100,000 individuals each year through its hunger relief and housing support programs. Since its founding in 1986 by faith-based organizations in Virginia Beach, JCOC has expanded its impact by partnering with more than 100 volunteer groups, churches, synagogues, and civic organizations. Together, they provide thousands of free meals to those in need. Beyond prepared meals, JCOC runs a food pantry and food box program, ensuring that individuals at risk of homelessness receive essential groceries so they don’t have to choose between paying rent and buying food. 

NFF’s $2.5 million loan, as part of a $5 million financing package led by LISC, will fund the construction and development costs for JCOC’s 3H Housing project – creating 38 units of permanent supportive housing and office space for the organization. Through affordable housing and a range of supportive services – including childcare, career counseling, and healthcare – JCOC will continue fostering well-being for both its residents and the surrounding LMI community. 

Founded in 1886 as the first settlement house in the United States, University Settlement Society of New York (USS) is a human services nonprofit that serves over 40,000 clients annually. With a dedicated team of over 700 staff members, USS delivers mental wellness, housing, arts, and English language programs across 30 locations in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. A $2 million loan from NFF will allow USS to navigate daily operations despite the unpredictability of government funding schedules, a common challenge faced by many nonprofit organizations. With this financing, USS will be able to continue providing essential services that foster stability for the thousands of individuals and families it serves. 

Founded in 1983, Community Mediation Services (CMS) fosters effective problem-solving for adolescents and families throughout all five boroughs of New York City. Headquartered in Jamaica, Queens, CMS provides dispute mediation, mentorship, therapy, educational support, and housing programs at three schools, two churches, and four homeless shelters, impacting nearly 16,000 individuals annually.

CMS’s Sanctuary Housing program provides a refuge for those facing housing insecurity, including migrant communities, by providing secure and welcoming spaces for temporary shelter, necessities, and a sense of stability. With $4.5 million in loans from NFF, CMS can continue operating its programming, which includes four sanctuary shelters for asylum seekers in Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island City while it waits for delayed payments on its city government contracts. This financing will allow CMS to focus on its mission of strengthening neighborhoods with a holistic, peaceful approach.

Founded in 1984 to assist individuals experiencing homelessness, Chrysalis helps people navigate barriers to the workforce by offering a comprehensive job-readiness program, individualized supportive services, and paid transitional employment.

Over the past 39 years, Chrysalis has provided wrap-around services, employment training, job search assistance, and job retention support to over 85,000 individuals across Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Inland Empire. In 2023, Chrysalis helped 1,680 clients secure employment.

Supported by the Hilton Foundation, a $500,000 zero-interest bridge loan from NFF will help Chrysalis cover ongoing organizational costs while waiting for delayed reimbursements from government contracts. With support from this loan, they can continue investing in programs that provide opportunity through employment.

Since its beginnings as a soup kitchen in 1978, North Valley Caring Services (NVCS) is now the largest single-site food distribution center in LA’s San Fernando Valley and offers a multi-pronged response to addressing homelessness, poverty, and food insecurity. NVCS’s grassroots approach engages residents in the formation of community initiatives through monthly surveys to ensure its programs reflect real-time community needs. Through a weekly drive-through pantry, meal outreach, safe parking program, homeless outreach, workforce development, youth after-school programs, and adult education, NVCS provides services to over 300,000 families and individuals annually – all of whom qualify as low-income.

NVCS’s programs are growing rapidly, and its food security program alone has seen a 25% increase in demand in the first quarter of 2024, observed through a 25% increase in the number of meals provided in Van Nuys, Panorama City, Lake Balboa, and Sun Valley. Supported by the Hilton Foundation, this zero-interest $500,000 bridge loan from NFF will smooth over cash flow issues caused by delays in government grant reimbursement and provide some of the necessary funding for NVCS to invest in essential services as it expands to support the well-being of even more San Fernando Valley residents.

Established in 2002, Council of Peoples Organization (COPO) serves over 12,000 people annually in New York City by providing free social services like mental health services, older adult services, a Halal emergency food pantry, immigration legal services, and more. COPO’s services are targeted to meet the specific language and cultural needs of immigrants from South Asia (Pakistan and Bangladesh), Uzbekistan, Haiti, and Jamaica, as well as many coming from the Middle East. COPO is now the largest Muslim Arab South Asian (MASA) community center in New York City.

NFF’s financing will allow COPO to acquire a permanent home for the long-term in the Brooklyn community it serves. The acquisition of this headquarters location will also provide additional programming space for COPO to continue serving its community for many more years to come.

Founded in 1984, Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition (SEAMAAC) serves about 11,600 individuals and more than 4,215 households annually through their community development, health and social services, education, and hunger relief programs. Pre-COVID, SEAMAAC served 25 linguistic communities, and that number has grown to more than 60 distinct linguistic communities from 45 different countries.

SEAMAAC has leased their space for 40 years. With a loan from NFF, they are acquiring their first property at 624-628 Snyder Street, which will serve as their permanent headquarters. By moving from their current space, which can be hard for many of their clients to access, the organization will be able to deliver services to clients in the heart of the community.

Grassroots agency Destination Tomorrow (DT) works diligently to ensure LGBTQ+ people have the resources and community they need to thrive. Through its offices in Atlanta and the Bronx, each year the organization serves nearly 27,000 residents through their youth, housing assistance, career development, and healthcare programs.

Destination Tomorrow depends on government contracts for most of its funding. However, these contracts are paid after the nonprofit runs its programs and are frequently delayed, making it hard for DT to keep sufficient cash on hand. This loan will provide operating cash to help the organization maintain its essential services while they wait for contract reimbursement. With support from this loan, they can continue investing in critical programs that support thriving LGBTQ+ communities.

BANANAS partners with families and childcare providers to raise happy, confident children in the Northern Alameda County cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Albany, Piedmont, Emeryville, and Alameda. Through its childcare referrals, payment assistance programs, parent education workshops, playgroups, and professional development, BANANAS serves almost 2,000 children, 12,000 adults, and 800 childcare providers each year.

BANANAS operates out of an office building that was built in 1958 and is currently vulnerable to earthquake damage. This loan will support BANANAS with construction efforts to make the building more earthquake-resistant and strengthen the connections between the roof and walls to ensure its structural integrity. This loan helps BANANAS make an essential investment in their space that will allow the organization to focus on its essential work of supporting working families on their parenting journeys.

Khesed Wellness (Khesed)’s mission is to advance equity in mental healthcare by making wellness services affordable for underinsured and uninsured individuals across Colorado, Texas, Michigan, and Illinois. Khesed offers below-market-rate therapy sessions in office buildings, private practice locations, religious organizations, and other places with available space during the week. Khesed offers pro bono therapy to people who can't afford the reduced rate, focusing on hospitality workers, the re-entry population, queer and transgender individuals, youth, helping professionals, and more. In addition to therapy, the nonprofit offers a substance use recovery program, support groups, yoga classes, and life coaching. Every year, Khesed assists more than 700 clients through its programs – many of whom might not otherwise be able to access this critical mental healthcare.

In response to the rapidly growing need for mental health services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Khesed has grown 300% since 2020. Financed through the Metro Denver Nonprofit Loan Fund, which was created to support the recovery and sustainability of the Metro Denver nonprofit ecosystem, this loan will help Khesed hire 15 therapists in the Denver Metro Area, including five therapists for its BIPOC Pro Bono and Training Program. With this investment, Khesed can expand quality, affordable mental healthcare to Denver residents that need it.

A Step to Freedom (ASF) provides justice-impacted individuals and people experiencing homelessness with a safe living environment and the support and resources needed to “take the first step to building a new future." ASF provides transitional housing and wraparound programs from mental health services to career exploration, as well as other supportive services. ASF’s programs are designed to support clients in overcoming social, financial, and institutional barriers that usually prevent people from securing self-sufficiency.

Supported by the Hilton Foundation, this zero-interest loan will help ASF cover ongoing organizational and programmatic costs while waiting for delayed reimbursements from government contracts and other funders. With this financing, ASF will be able to keep their programs running and doors open to anyone that needs their services.

For 40 years, Jenesse Center has raised awareness about domestic violence and advocated for people’s basic right to peace in their homes and relationships. In addition to housing women and children at emergency and transitional shelters across Los Angeles, Jenesse provides supportive services that include mental health counseling, life skills courses, computer training, job referrals, after-school programs and tutoring for children, and legal support. Jenesse also works to break the generational cycle of violence by educating young people about healthy relationships.

Like many nonprofits, Jenesse contracts with local agencies to provide services, and like many nonprofits, it has seen sustained delays in reimbursements for services it has already provided. Supported by the Hilton Foundation, this zero-interest loan will allow Jenesse to continue running its programs without interruption while waiting for longer-than-average delayed reimbursements for contracts with county agencies.

Learn more about how the Jenesse serves its community in South Los Angeles.

Bayview Hunters Point Foundation (BHPF) offers employment assistance, healthcare, educational programming, and affordable housing in the San Francisco neighborhood of Bayview. At its founding, BHPF’s programs responded to a critical need to address substance misuse in the Bayview community. In recent years, BHPF has expanded its outreach, case management, and permanent supportive housing programs to address its community’s homelessness crisis by helping people experiencing or vulnerable to homelessness access the social services they need to achieve their personal goals. The organization has experienced increased demand for its services since the onset of COVID-19: it served approximately 12,000 people last year and is preparing for continued growth.

This acquisition loan will provide the funding needed for BHPF to purchase the facility from which it has been serving its community for the last 25 years. Since real estate ownership is a key component to building wealth and defending the organization against gentrification, we hope this loan will allow Bayview Hunters Point Foundation to make the investments it needs to continue growing and to remain a pillar in its community for years to come.

Columbia River Mental Health Services (CRMHS) is a mental health services provider whose mission is to provide behavioral health and recovery services to children, adults, and families in Southwest Washington, primarily serving people in Clark County. Through therapy, youth programs, substance use treatment, mobile health outreach, and more, CRMHS assists more than 5,000 clients annually – no matter their ability to pay or insurance status.

CRMHS is in the process of moving to a nearly 8,000 square foot building, which they recently acquired. Financed through NFF’s Resilient Communities Fund, this low-interest loan will provide a portion of the funding needed to renovate CRMHS’ new space – increasing the organization’s ability to focus on two important areas of its work. First, the new location will serve as the organization’s primary clinic to meet the immediate needs of clients through its medically assisted treatment substance dependence program, rather than turn them away. Second, it will house CRMHS’ growing Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT), which provides round-the-clock, individualized, in-home mental health outreach services to people in recovery.

The mission of Paving the Way (PTW) is to help people from all walks of life be as healthy and active as possible by providing social services that teach practical life skills for independence. Since 2006, PTW has met the immediate needs of people across Southern California’s Antelope Valley – particularly those impacted by homelessness, substance use, and the justice system. PTW served approximately 600 individuals in 2021 through job readiness training, parenting classes, a free community clothing closet, and a community re-entry program for formerly incarcerated people – 90% of whom qualified as low-income.

While PTW has multiple funding sources, it is experiencing delays in payments of government contracts. And because the organization has grown exponentially in such a short amount of time – more than doubling its budget in the last year alone – it needs more capital to match this rapid growth. Financed through NFF’s CARE Fund and support from the Hilton Foundation, these loans will provide PTW with the money needed to bridge cash flow issues caused by delayed government contract payments. With more sustained, reliable funding, PTW can continue investing in critical programs for even more Antelope Valley residents – programs that support their growth and well-being.

A multi-service organization, African Refuge primarily serves residents of the Park Hill and Stapleton communities on Staten Island's North Shore. The nonprofit supports people who have recently immigrated to Staten Island – many of whom come from West African countries – by helping them apply for citizenship and access government services. Through workforce development, an after school program, immigration counseling, and more, African Refuge’s impact is clear – the organization’s programs serve nearly 5,000 residents each year. African Refuge depends on government contracts for most of its funding. However, these contracts are paid after the nonprofit runs its programs and are frequently delayed, making it hard for African Refuge to keep sufficient cash on hand.

Financed through NFF’s CARE Fund, which offers 0% interest loans to community-centered nonprofits led by people of color, this loan will provide operating cash to help the organization maintain its essential services. With support from this loan, it can continue investing in critical programs that support Staten Islanders’ dignity and quality of life.

ACHIEVEability provides comprehensive social services to low-income, single-parent, and unhoused families in West Philadelphia. The organization works to permanently break the generational cycle of poverty by offering higher education, affordable housing, and other supportive services designed to address the barriers that prevent people from achieving their aspirations. ACHIEVEability’s impact is clear – through their services, the organization serves nearly 3,000 residents each year.

ACHIEVEability plans to establish an in-house fundraising department that could sustainably bring in funding for the organization and accelerate its growth. Financed through NFF’s CARE Fund, which offers 0% interest loans to community-centered nonprofits led by people of color, this loan will provide ACHIEVEability with the money needed to expand their staff and bridge cash flow issues caused by delayed payments from government-funded contracts. With support from this loan, ACHIEVEability can build out a sustainable fundraising strategy that allows it to continue supporting West Philadelphia residents with essential services.

Special Needs Network, Inc. (SNN)’s mission is to raise awareness about the unique ways that race, gender, and class impact people with disabilities – particularly African Americans, Latinx, and other BIPOC. By providing direct services, raising community awareness, and engaging in policy advocacy, SNN recognizes that the fight for disability rights is inextricably tied to the fight for racial justice and civil rights. SNN’s programs and campaigns bring change through legislation and policy as well as through direct collaboration with parents, caretakers, social justice organizations, and healthcare professionals. SNN’s Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities (CADD) is a full-service autism health and community center delivering comprehensive medical and developmental services in the historic Watts/Willowbrook/Compton neighborhood.

As the organization continues to grow, its headquarters will be moving to the new MLK Community Hospital in South Los Angeles to further expand its programs and meet growing community needs. Financed through NFF’s CARE Fund, which offers 0% interest loans to community-centered nonprofits led by and serving people of color, this loan will support furnishings and necessary improvements for the organization’s new space. With support from this financing, SNN will be able to offer high-quality services to even more people with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Olive Support Services (OSS) provides critical family support and social services to people living across Southern California’s Antelope Valley. The nonprofit’s services include parenting classes, domestic violence treatment services, life coaching, job readiness classes, and a youth tutoring and mentorship program. In addition to family programming, OSS works with recently incarcerated individuals by teaching job readiness and life skills in efforts to reduce recidivism. Specifically seeking out Antelope Valley households who identify as low-income and have limited access to social services, the organization serves more than 400 people each year. COVID-19 stay-at-home orders increased domestic violence across the country.

At the same time that many survivors were stuck at home with their abusers, providers of shelter and safe services were required to cut back capacity to comply with social distancing guidelines. In response, LA County provided thousands of emergency housing vouchers for survivors of DV and their children. However, many landlords were reluctant to accept these vouchers, tightening the supply of housing available to survivors. In response to this unmet need, Olive planned to purchase a house that it can convert into supportive housing for domestic violence survivors with rental vouchers. Financed through NFF’s CARE Fund, which offers 0% interest loans to community-centered nonprofits led by people of color, this loan will help Olive Support Services make this down payment – and continue to provide compassionate care to survivors.

The I Did Something Good Today Foundation (IDSGT) is a community-based nonprofit founded in 2018 to address the needs of Los Angeles County seniors facing social isolation. IDSGT meets the immediate needs of low-income individuals and older adults in LA County by helping them navigate social service systems, personal finances, and housing. In addition, IDSGT offers a senior chat line and a wellness check phone call program to combat the social isolation many older adults experience. Since its founding, IDSGT has achieved incredible impact: it has taken over 44,000 calls on its chat line, made over 5,500 deliveries of food and basic necessities, and logged over 25,000 volunteer hours.

Financed through NFF’s CARE Fund, which offers 0% interest loans to community-centered nonprofits led by people of color, this loan will provide IDSGT with approximately a year of operating cash flow, enough liquidity to overcome the paralyzing impact of the pandemic and allow the Foundation to continue to provide essential services for seniors.

Multicultural Community Family Services (MCFS) provides a variety of programs and services to ensure the well-being of immigrants and community members in the Philadelphia area. After moving to the United States to escape a civil conflict in her native Liberia, founder and executive director Portia Kamara recognized that many immigrants struggled to access the services they needed in a country where the language, culture, and systems were unfamiliar. So she founded MCFS in direct response to their needs – initially focusing on immigrants from across Africa, but soon expanding to serve all immigrants and community members who needed support to achieve their aspirations. The organization established programs including community health, education, advocacy, immigration support, professional development, and youth soccer.

Over the past two decades, MCFS has grown into an organization that supports more than 1,000 families each year. A large portion of MCFS’ revenue comes from reimbursement-based contracts for its home healthcare program. However, when the onset of the pandemic led to a suspension of one of its major contracts in 2020, the organization faced a challenging financial position. NFF determined that a zero-interest CARE Fund loan would be perfect for this client; it would reduce MCFS’ monthly expenses by replacing an existing loan with an interest-free one and support renovations that would allow the organization to fully move its operations into its new headquarters, reducing its occupancy expenses. This investment will free up more of MCFS’ finances to recuperate from financial losses that were beyond its control – and to invest in the communities that depend on their services.

The Central Family Life Center (“The Center”) is a multi-service agency serving the North Shore of Staten Island through programming focused on education, training, counseling, job placement, and leadership. Its 10,000 square foot facility is the only minority-led community center of its kind in Staten Island, and it houses many critical social services programs for the borough's diverse residents. It recently acquired a second property to house its growing team and operates a mobile trauma unit that provides response teams that quickly address any violence prevention needs in the community. The Center is almost entirely reliant on government contracts – contracts that are paid after it runs programs and are often delayed, creating significant cash flow issues for the organization.

Offered through NFF’s zero-interest CARE Fund, this loan will bridge the gap between when The Center spends money to run programs and receives money from government contracts, ensuring that it can continue to provide timely payments to the staff running critical social services and violence prevention efforts across Staten Island.

Sacred Heart Community Services (SHCS) has provided essential services to individuals and families across California's South Bay Area for nearly 60 years. They envision a community united to ensure that every child and adult is free from poverty. From an organization founded specifically to provide food for those who were going hungry, SHCS has grown into an innovative and well-respected nonprofit that both responds directly to the needs of the community it serves while advocating for policies and action that address the root causes of poverty. Their programs include food and clothing drives, rent and utility support, employment assistance, youth education, and support with taxes and applications for government benefits.

SHCS has experienced substantial growth in the past several years, and its current facility can no longer accommodate its staff and programs. NFF partnered with Community Vision and Partners for the Common Good to provide a $5 million loan to SHCS. Along with over $2 million of its own capital and approximately $2.74MM in New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) equity from US Bank and Partners for the Common Good, this financing will allow SCHS to renovate and own a larger space for its use and the 60+ organizations in its growing network. With a larger home base, SCHS can support its current expansion as well as future growth – ensuring that even more community members can access their services and supporting thriving communities for decades to come.

Partners: Community Visions, Partners for the Common Good, US Bank

The mission of Monument Impact is to ensure that immigrants, refugees and low-income residents of Concord, CA and surrounding communities have the voice, tools, and relationships they need to achieve an equitable share of the region's social and economic wealth. To this end, they offer programs that include workforce development (technology classes, training for small business owners), Healthy Community (bilingual Spanish-English programming that promotes physical activity and healthy living), and community engagement (leadership development courses, legal support for immigrants, and a free shuttle).

In response to increased demand from the communities it serves during the COVID-19 pandemic, Monument Impact expanded some programs and established entirely new ones, including financial aid and assistance for renters who had seen lost or diminished income. As the pandemic has continued, this demand has kept growing. Offered through NFF's zero-interest CARE Fund, this loan will support Monument Impact as it grows its financial aid, vaccine outreach, and new civic engagement work; it will also give them needed flexibility as they seek out a larger space. These programs respond directly to the unique needs of the communities Monument Impact serves, offering critical services at a time when these communities can benefit from them most.