The WellSky Foundation Gifts $50,000 to Austin-Based Nonprofit to Enhance Permanent Housing Initiative for People Experiencing Homelessness
Mobile Loaves & Fishes gains new resources to support its Community First! Village master-planned community delivering shelter and support to people in need
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — February 26, 2020 — Today the WellSky Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving quality of life for vulnerable populations, announced its newest recipient of a $50,000 donation, Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF). MLF is a social outreach organization based in Austin, Texas serving people experiencing homelessness by empowering neighbors and communities with opportunities to take action. MLF will use WellSky Foundation funding to expand its Community First! Village, which is a 51-acre master-planned community that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for people coming out of homelessness.
Since 2015, Community First! Village has uplifted more than 200 people off the streets and into stable housing. The neighborhood currently includes over 200 microhomes and RVs, with an additional 300 homes under development, and offers its residents a range of amenities, such as an onsite medical clinic, laundry and restroom facilities, wellness and respite center, and community gardens. MLF takes a community-based approach to delivering housing and supportive services that address the individual needs of people experiencing homelessness.
“Building empowered, supportive communities is vital to our mission of lifting our neighbors out of chronic homelessness. We firmly believe that providing housing alone won’t solve homelessness, but building communities will,” said Alan Graham, founder and CEO of Mobile Loaves & Fishes. “Partnering with the WellSky Foundation means we can continue growing the programs we provide, strengthening our relationships with Community First! Village neighbors, and helping more of our friends experiencing homelessness get the care, compassion, and community support they need to heal.”
MLF’s focus on community closely aligns with the WellSky Foundation’s dedication to addressing social determinants of health for people across local, regional, and national communities. The WellSky Foundation was launched in early 2019 by WellSky, a global health and community care technology company, and Austin is home to one of the company’s largest employee bases. WellSky’s Texas-based teammates look forward to volunteering their time and talents to help MLF further its mission.
“Mobile Loaves & Fishes has developed a truly innovative program that is restoring dignity to people facing homelessness throughout Austin and Travis County,” said Andrea Morgan, executive director of the WellSky Foundation. “At the WellSky Foundation, we’re focused on whole-person care that considers both the health and socioeconomic conditions of each individual. After seeing the Community First! Village’s transformative work, we were inspired to support MLF in their efforts to serve goodness and build hope for those who need it most.”
Media Contact
Emma Mulvaney
Phone: 617.401.3131
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About Mobile Loaves and Fishes
Founded in 1998, Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF) is a social outreach ministry that empowers communities into a lifestyle of service with the homeless. With the support of thousands of volunteers and more than 5.5 million meals served, MLF has grown to become the largest prepared feeding program to the homeless in Central Texas and has spawned similar food truck programs in other cities across the country. MLF is also the visionary behind Austin’s innovative Community First! Village—a 51-acre master planned development that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness. For more information, please visit www.mlf.org.
About the WellSky Foundation
The WellSky Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to improving quality of life for vulnerable populations by removing social barriers to health, recovery, and lasting wellness. The WellSky Foundation is an engine for change, financially supporting organizations that enable care and healing for people, regardless of their socioeconomic status. With a deep understanding of the social determinants of health, the WellSky Foundation partners with community organizations that are boldly addressing the top four socioeconomic factors affecting long-term wellness — housing, food insecurity, transportation, and isolation. The WellSky Foundation is committed to funding and supporting organizations that protect the people and communities they serve and create better outcomes for people in need. Together with our community partners, the WellSky Foundation is breaking down social barriers to health and wellness to build thriving communities. To learn more about the WellSky Foundation, visit WellSkyFoundation.org.
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