LI housing nonprofits receive $150G in grants

Six Long Island nonprofits that focus on providing aid in housing have received a combined $150,000 in grants from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.

“In the last year or so, we have focused initiatives on certain segments,” said Bob Isaksen, president of  the Long Island offices of Bank of America. “We’re focused very much as a foundation on .?.?. providing support for jobs, hunger and housing.” He added that those are the three major issues that affect not just the local region, but the nation.

The awards to Long Island nonprofits ranged from $50,000 to $10,000. Isaksen said the six organizations were chosen based on their “ability to follow through on the mission and apply the money to the need they’ve identified.”

The $150,000 award on Long Island is part of a $22 million grant initiative to supporting housing nationwide by Bank of America.

The local nonprofits that received the grants are:

1. Community Development Corp. of Long Island received $50,000 to support a range of housing services -- including financial counseling, home improvement and foreclosure prevention  -- in low to moderate income communities.

2. Long Island Housing Partnership received $40,000 to support its efforts in housing within low-income communities.

3. Habitat for Humanity in Suffolk County received $30,000 to aid its home building efforts.

4. Touro College's Mortgage Foreclosure and Bankruptcy Law Clinic received $10,000 to support its free legal aid service.

5. Housing Help in Huntington received $10,000 to support its housing counseling to those in need.

6. Long Island Council of Churches received $10,000 to support Financial Education and Homelessness Prevention Program.

Photo: Bob Isaksen, president of  Bank of America, Long Island office.