The Fazendin Realtors Foundation was established as a way to organize and increase the giving Fazendin Realtors has been doing for over 55 years. Its mission is to provide financial support to organizations in the Twin Cities community that assist those in need of safe shelter or housing.
According to the Point-in-Time (PIT) Count 2023, on a single night in January 2023 there were a total of 8,393 people experiencing homelessness in Minnesota – a 6% increase compared to the previous year. People may find themselves houseless for a variety of reasons: loss of job, physical or mental health issues, domestic violence, incarceration, racial inequality, etc.
In hopes of reducing homelessness in the Twin Cities, the Fazendin Realtors Foundation recently completed its first round of donations, giving a total of $19,000 to the following five nonprofit organizations.
Ain Dah Yung Center
Meaning “Our Home” in Ojibwe, Ain Dah Yung Center (ADYC) provides a healing place within the community for Indigenous youth and families to thrive in safety and wholeness. From emergency shelters and supportive housing to after-school programs, ADYC provides services to almost 1,000 children ages 5-24.
The Fazendin Realtors Foundation’s grant will assist the organization with the utilities for and maintenance of its three shelters in St. Paul.
Click here to learn more about the Ain Dah Yung Center.
Edith’s House
Edith’s House serves individuals and families experiencing homelessness in the Twin Cities who, for a variety of reasons, find themselves on the streets or struggling to navigate the shelter system. Edith’s House provides support and personal guidance to help individuals and families find the services they need. Its goal is to provide a path to self-sufficiency through stable housing, employment guidance, connections to social services, and encouragement.
With the grant from the Fazendin Realtors Foundation, Edith’s House will be able to extend housing assistance to three unhoused individuals. This includes placing all individuals in housing and pre-paying rent for each person for two months.
Click here to learn more about Edith’s House.
My Very Own Bed
My Very Own Bed provides new beds and linens to children of families who have recently secured stable housing. Providing beds to these families relieves some of their emotional stress seeing their children sleeping on the floor or sharing a bed with another family member. The beds also support the children by giving them a small space in their new house to call their own and to get the restorative sleep they need to grow and thrive.
The Fazendin Realtors Foundation’s grant will provide 10 children a new bed and Dream Kit (bedding, book, and stuffed animal.)
Click here to learn more about My Very Own Bed.
Pay It Forward Fund
Pay It Forward Fund’s (PIFF) mission is to provide financial support to breast and gynecological cancer patients in treatment who need financial help to pay essential household expenses. PIFF’s purpose is to help cancer patients focus on what’s truly important: getting well. Its motto is, “Cancer doesn’t care if you pay your bills. We do.”
In 2023, PIFF paid $414,000 in essential household expenses to 359 people undergoing treatment.
With the grant from the Fazendin Realtors Foundation, PIFF will be able to give the maximum payout to two individuals.
Click here to learn more about the Pay It Forward Fund.
Tubman
Established in 1974, Tubman provides family crisis and support services to anyone who is homeless due to domestic or sexual violence, including people of all genders, ethnicities, and ages. Nearly half of Twin Cities area victims of domestic violence report staying in an abusive home due to a lack of safe alternatives, so Tubman works to eliminate that barrier. This year, the organization anticipates helping 16,500 with its services.
The grant from the Fazendin Realtors Foundation will support Tubman’s shelter and housing programs, allowing them to continue providing services to thousands of people who need them.
Click here to learn more about Tubman.