Gerstner Philanthropies Awards $4.3 Million For Helping Hands Emergency Grant Program
Gerstner Philanthropies (gerstner.org) announced today that it has awarded $4.3 million to 36 social services organizations to be used for grants to individuals facing a one-time, urgent need. Gerstner made the awards as part of its Helping Hands program, which has been instrumental in helping households stabilize from the devastating impact of COVID-19.
Emergency grants have been a core part of Gerstner’s work for over a decade, with this year’s grants bringing the total Helping Hands funding to over $20 million. Over 60% of grants help people facing eviction, though funds may also be used for other urgent needs, such as utilities, medical expenses, and food. 87% of people who receive an emergency grant for rent are stably housed one year later. Critical to the program’s success is that the emergency grants are made in the context of comprehensive case management and other support services.
The organizations who received grants in this most recent round of funding are located in New York City and Westchester County, NY; Palm Beach County, FL; and Boston, MA and are listed here: https://gerstner.org/program-areas/helping-hands/2021/#Grantees