White Plains, NY (August 2018) The Hudson Gateway REALTOR® Foundation, the charitable arm of the Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS®, recently presented a check for $5,000 to The Bridge Fund of Westchester, based in White Plains. Their mission is to ensure housing stability for vulnerable individuals and families who are threatened with the loss of their housing, but often don’t qualify for emergency government assistance.
Almost a quarter of Westchester’s residents live on incomes that are barely enough to pay for basic needs. The typical Bridge Fund client’s annual net income is about $22,400, and some of them pay half of their income in rent. Any unexpected expense can result in rental arrears and with no affordable alternative, they are at high risk for homelessness. Westchester County has more residents living in shelters than does any other county in New York State, outside of New York City. The Bridge Fund’s average assistance is about $1,000 per household, compared to over $40,000 it takes to house a family in a county shelter.
“The need in the county is really growing, where the working class, who do not qualify for county emergency assistance, are facing immense challenges around meeting some of their most basic needs,” said Grace Perry, Director, The Bridge Fund of Westchester. “Our client base is nearly 50% children. By resolving the immediate housing crisis we limit the trauma and displacement for these families, whose rent arrears are typically due to a one time incident like a major car repair, reduction in work hours or a death in the family. The commitment of our generous donors, like Hudson Gateway Realtor Foundation, continues to reward success as over 90% of households who receive the one time assistance remain stable after two years”.
Established in 2004 and relaunched in 2013, the HG REALTOR® Foundation has donated thousands of dollars to charities and non-profits throughout the Hudson Valley. As concerned members of the communities we work in, the Hudson Gateway REALTOR® Foundation participates in qualified community-based charities who serve the housing, hunger, health, happiness, and humane needs of citizens everywhere.
For more information or to apply for funding from the Hudson Gateway REALTOR® Foundation, please visit www.hgrealtorfoundation.com.
The Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS® is a not-for-profit trade association representing over 11,000 real estate professionals doing business in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, and Orange counties, as well as the Bronx and Manhattan. It is the second largest REALTOR® Association in New York, and one of the largest in the country. It owns and operates the Hudson Gateway Multiple Listing Service (HGMLS), offering more than 18,000 properties in the Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties. It is among the top 50 largest MLSs in the country.
CONTACT:
Mary T. Prenon
Director of Communications
(914) 681-0833, ext 322
mary.prenon@hgar.com
###