A central Nebraska housing project has received a boost from one of the world’s richest people.
Hope Harbor, a Grand Island-based organization that helps people experiencing homelessness, recently announced it received a $1.25 million grant from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund, a $2 billion charitable organization funded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Liz Mayfield, Hope Harbor’s executive director, said the money will be used to manage the 20-unit Lighthouse Apartments, central Nebraska’s first permanent supportive housing project, which will allow families to build up a rental history while continuing to receive services.
“We still get to continue to provide budgeting help, case management, mental health services – all the things that we do as part of our programming – that continues once they’re in their own unit,” Mayfield said. “So they get to build out their own rental history and their own credit history in addition to continuing to get services they need to get back on their feet.”
Mayfield said construction on the $10.7 million project is expected to start in the spring.
Last year, Hope Harbor received $5.8 million for the project from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
Mayfield told Nebraska Public Media News in a September interview that not only did those funds cover more than half the cost of the project, but they also encouraged private donors to invest in the project.