ARLINGTON, Va., May 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Doorways for Women and Families has been awarded a Kresge Foundation Capital Challenge Grant towards the construction of the Freddie Mac Foundation Family Home, a new shelter currently under construction in Arlington County that will provide temporary housing for women, children and families experiencing homelessness. The Kresge Foundation is a $3 billion national foundation whose mission is to strengthen nonprofit organizations that advance the well-being of humanity.
To raise funds to construct the new shelter and support Doorways' family homeless, domestic violence and community outreach programs, for three years Doorways launched the "Campaign To Do More," a $7.2 million fundraising campaign that has raised $4.2 million to date. The Kresge Challenge Grant is an "all or nothing" challenge designed to help Doorways reach out to new supporters, volunteers and members of the community to achieve the campaign goal. The way the challenge works: within the challenge grant period of now through July 1, 2008, Doorways must raise $800,000 in new private funds. When that goal is met, The Kresge Foundation will award Doorways a one-time $400,000 grant.
"In 2005 Doorways turned away 1,361 individuals seeking shelter due to lack of space. With affordable housing options dwindling and temporary homelessness among families on the rise, we are very pleased that The Kresge Foundation saw the value in assisting us not only with the construction of our new shelter facility, but also with raising the money necessary to continue providing quality programs that prevent the recurrence of homelessness," said Linda Dunphy, Executive Director of Doorways. "We are hopeful that this grant will enable us to leverage the funding we need to give families in crisis the shelter and services that help them achieve stability, security and self- sufficiency."
"Our trustees noted, in approving the grant, their wish to endorse Doorways' good work, not only in assisting women and children with the immediate rescue from domestic violence and homelessness, but also with longer term empowerment for independence through social services and education," said Rip Rapson, President and CEO of The Kresge Foundation. "With the aid of this challenge grant, we hope that Doorways' campaign can become an opportunity for Doorways to connect to stakeholders and reach out to new donors, volunteers, participants and the general community to help strengthen your organization into the future."
Doorways for Women and Families, formerly The Arlington Temporary Shelter (TACTS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers women and families who are abused, homeless or at-risk to live safe, secure and self-sufficient lives. For almost 30 years, Doorways has provided shelter and services and educated the larger community about violence and homelessness. Doorways for Women and Families can be found on the Web at http://www.doorwaysva.org.
The Kresge Foundation is a $3 billion national foundation that builds stronger nonprofit organizations-catalyzing their growth, helping them connect with their stakeholders, and challenging them with grants that leverage greater support. The Foundation's mission is to strengthen nonprofit organizations that advance the well-being of humanity. The Foundation concentrates its programming on capital campaigns as a key opportunity for nonprofit growth. In 2006, the Foundation awarded 205 grants totaling $146,187,060 to organizations in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, South Africa, and Mexico. For more information about The Kresge Foundation, please visit http://www.kresge.org.
Doorways for Women and Families
