LOUISVILLE, KY (November 21, 2019) – AT&T’s Believe Louisville program has just announced a generous gift of $50,000 in partnership with the Coalition for the Homeless and St. Vincent de Paul to help end homelessness among young adults and young families.
Part of the donation will fund a critical building renovation at St. Vincent de Paul for a new 24-unit transitional housing program, one of six new programs funded through Louisville’s new Youth Homeless Demonstration Program (YHDP) grant.
“This gift from AT&T will make a huge difference to so many young adults and families,” said Ed Wnorowski, Executive Director of St. Vincent de Paul. “With it, we’re child-proofing all rooms and purchasing amenities like rocking chairs and new washing machines. We’re also adding a space for staff to work with these young people to help them get back on their feet.”
Over 50 AT&T volunteers are at St. Vincent de Paul today to assist with renovations. They are assembling furniture, making child safety improvements, painting, and assembling move-in kits, among other tasks.
“With support from our more than 900 Louisville area employees, we believe we can make a meaningful difference in our community by focusing our resources on local challenges like homelessness here in Louisville,” said AT&T Kentucky President Hood Harris. “We’re passionate about addressing this problem and by coming together as a company and community to focus on a common cause, we hope we can make a positive impact.”
AT&T launched their Believe Louisville initiative in August. Believe Louisville mobilizes AT&T’s strong base of local employee volunteers as well as company resources to serve the community.
“This renovation supports the collaborative efforts of the Coalition for the Homeless and our partners, who are working hard to end homelessness among young adults and young families by the end of 2020,” said Natalie Harris, Executive Director of the Coalition. “We need everyone in the community to get engaged in order to help these vulnerable young people. We’re so grateful to AT&T for this gift to our partners at St. Vincent de Paul.”
Since 2017, the Coalition and partners have reduced homelessness among these young adults and families by 78%.
About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T
AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. We have a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities, promote academic and economic achievement, and address community needs. Our AT&T Aspire initiative uses innovation in education to drive student success in school and beyond. With a financial commitment of $500 million since 2008, AT&T is leveraging technology, relationships and social innovation to help all students make their biggest dreams a reality.
About the Coalition for the Homeless
The Coalition for the Homeless is a nonprofit organization with a mission to prevent and end homelessness in Louisville. The Coalition advocates for change, educates the public about the face of homelessness, and coordinates the work of their 30+ member agencies across the city. For more information, call (502) 636-9550, or find the Coalition online at www.louhomeless.org, www.facebook.com/LouHomeless, or www.twitter.com/LouHomeless.
About St. Vincent de Paul
St. Vincent de Paul Louisville partners with individuals and families in crisis and helps them navigate a path to stabilize their lives and reach their full potential.