Who Knew?

Who knew nonprofits could have corporate-style perks?

HDF (Housing Development Fund) has a partnership with CitiBank/Citi Foundation and we were invited to watch the Mets game last night against the Nationals - in an Empire Suite private box at Citifield! Even though the Mets lost, it was a really fun night (with great seats!) and the stadium is awesome.

I promised to talk about my organization so here's a bit of background info:

HDF may be small, but it's the nonprofit with the largest funding for affordable housing in Connecticut - one of the most expensive housing markets in the U.S. The income (and education) gap is huge here, which means too many families can't live in the towns that they work in. HDF acts kind of like a nonprofit bank - we finance developers of affordable housing, but we also have special programs to provide mortgage loans for low/moderate-income individuals and counsel first-time homebuyers to help them understand the complicated homebuying process and work towards achieving their goals. The people we help work hard and earn steady incomes, like police offers and teachers, but in this area, it's not enough to afford a house! All of our one-on-one counseling, classes, and clinics are free, and we even help people at risk of foreclosure (and victims of mortgage fraud) so that they can keep their homes - which is especially critical in the current economy. I really admire everyone at HDF for the work they've done assisting thousands of families, and it's so rewarding to see clients close on new homes every week because of our help, especially those that have worked with us for a long time to finally achieve their American Dream. :)

Reading these blogs, it's so cool to see all of the fellows opening doors at their organizations!