New Loan Closings: A Step to Freedom, Holos Communities, Hot Bread Kitchen, NoHo Home Alliance, Pioneer Works, Project IMPACT, Testimonial Community Love Center, UNITE-LA

$200,000 bridge loan (May 2023)

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.

$500,000 working capital loan (April 2023)

Holos Communities (formerly Clifford Beers Housing, Inc.) builds spaces through a holistic lens as it works to end houselessness, combat climate change, and reverse racial inequity across southern California. They operate over 500 apartments, with 249 under development, and these spaces provide homes, services, and jobs to individuals, families, and businesses while helping to strengthen neighborhoods and local economies. Holos Communities intentionally designs their properties to be sustainable by maintaining net zero operations, using less concrete, installing fully electric systems, installing solar panels, recycling grey water, planting trees and creating green spaces, and building near high frequency public transit systems.

Supported by the Hilton Foundation, this loan will provide Holos Communities with the working capital it needs to continue the development of ongoing projects, including completing the construction of Isla Intersections, a 54-unit housing complex in South LA long delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. When complete in late 2023, this community will maintain 53 permanent supportive housing units, including 10 dedicated for veterans.

$250,000 working capital loan (May 2023)

Hot Bread Kitchen was founded in New York City with a mission to create economic mobility for individuals impacted by gender, racial, social, and economic inequality. Hot Bread Kitchen focuses its job training and job placement on primarily immigrant women and women of color. They provide programs like culinary training for employment in the food industry, English as a second language courses to improve literacy, and a SEED program that creates food entrepreneurs by teaching the fundamentals of starting and growing a food business. To date, the organization has served over 300 individuals and incubated 250 small food businesses.

This financing will support Hot Bread Kitchen in smoothing out cash flow gaps as it awaits reimbursement for work performed, particularly as it gets a new apprenticeship program up and running. It will help preserve internal cash reserves and support any working capital needs necessary to hire more staff as their programs continue to expand.

$200,000 bridge loan (May 2023)

NoHo Home Alliance uses a unique Relational Homeless Outreach Model to provide programs and services that support unhoused individuals and families. NoHo Home Alliance builds relationships with their clients and meets them where they are with necessary support that helps cultivate lives of dignity. Over the last year alone, NoHo Home Alliance worked with over 1,350 individuals through their many programs and services including offering meals, providing comfortable showers, setting up charging stations, and providing housing referrals.

Supported by the Hilton Foundation, this zero-interest loan will help NoHo Home Alliance cover ongoing organizational and programmatic costs while waiting for significantly delayed government contract payments. With this financing, NoHo Home Alliance will be able to keep their team fully staffed to continue their crucial work in building a healthy and housed community in the East San Fernando Valley.

$4.7 million bridge loan (May 2023)

Pioneer Works Arts Foundation is an artist and scientist-led nonprofit cultural center in New York City that fosters innovative thinking through visual and performing arts, technology, music, and science. They support onsite production through their science, design, recording, and ceramics studios; media, virtual environment, and technology labs; darkroom; and garden. Committed to supporting emerging artists, promoting interdisciplinary research, and providing public access, Pioneer Works hopes to accelerate culture through the free exchange of ideas and information for all.

This loan will support Pioneer Works as it purchases, renovates, and expands its facility on Pioneer Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Pioneer Works plans to bring its building, built in 1866, into the modern age with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible garden pathways, a new elevator, a new roof deck, and a publicly accessible rooftop observatory. This loan will allow Pioneer Works to continue to educate and serve their community as they wait for reimbursement from city and state capital grants.

$500,000 bridge loan (June 2023)

Project IMPACT invests in youth and families through programs of self- and community empowerment. Since 1986, this nationally-recognized organization has reached 40,000 young people with counseling, tutoring, mentoring, and job readiness training.

The LA County Department of Mental Health (DMH) has awarded Project IMPACT a new contract, which will enable them to provide mental health services in-house rather than refer clients out to other organizations. A $500,000 bridge loan from NFF will help address cash flow pressures as the organization hires and trains up to 18 new staff members to allow the organization to provide an expansive array of social services to clients, which it previously contracted out to other organizations. By hiring more staff, the organization will be able to continue growing critical programs to benefit even more LA youth and their families.

$250,000 bridge loan (May 2023)

Testimonial Community Love Center (TCLC) started in 1984 working with families and individuals experiencing homelessness in the greater South-Central Los Angeles area. Since then, LA has seen the rate of homelessness increase due to a combination of factors, such as the lack of affordable housing, adding new urgency to TCLC's work. TCLC have and continue to provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, nutritious meals, and other vital social services and referrals to over 350 people. Their programs are designed with the goal that the individuals and families that pass through their doors can resume – or begin – safe, dignified, sustainable, and independent living.

Supported by the Hilton Foundation, this zero-interest loan will help TCLC have enough cash on hand to pay their staff, keep their doors open, and offer their essential programs. With support from this financing, TCLC can continue offering its vital services to address homelessness in South-Central LA.

$500,000 bridge loan (May 2023)

For over 20 years, UNITE-LA has partnered with educational institutions and businesses in Los Angeles to improve the local public education system so that all children and youth succeed in college, career, and beyond. UNITE-LA works to increase access to high-quality early childhood education, develop career pathways in high-growth industries, improve college access and success, and ensure workforce readiness. Through their programming and systems change efforts, UNITE-LA's mission is to support equitable economic mobility and well-being for youth and adults in Los Angeles.

Supported by the Hilton Foundation, this zero-interest loan will help UNITE-LA cover ongoing organizational and programmatic costs while waiting for delayed reimbursements from government contracts and grants. With support from this financing, UNITE-LA can continue to offer its education and workforce development programs that provide youth and adults with services and resources needed to succeed in education and beyond.

Learn more about NFF’s loan products on the financing page of our website.