FHLBank San Francisco, in collaboration with Desert Financial Credit Union, awarded A New Leaf a $30,000 grant to support low-income, formerly incarcerated individuals in Maricopa County achieve self-sufficiency.
A New Leaf is a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive services including housing and shelter, education, career training, and financial literacy programs that provide pathways to long-term stability for disadvantaged individuals and families in Arizona. This grant will allow A New Leaf to serve 60 additional clients in the next year through its Greater Economic Mobility Program.
"A New Leaf is extremely grateful for Desert Financial Credit Union's longtime partnership. With Desert Financial's support as a Federal Home Loan Bank member, A New Leaf has been awarded an AHEAD grant to expand the Greater Economic Mobility Program. This investment from FHLB will provide life-changing support for justice-involved individuals overcoming barriers to gaining and maintaining self-sufficiency and stability,” said A New Leaf’s CEO, Michael Hughes. “Thank you, FHLB for partnering with A New Leaf in its mission of ‘helping families, changing lives!’"
Desert Financial nominated A New Leaf through the AHEAD Program, which is sponsored by FHLBank San Francisco. AHEAD Program grants enable FHLBank San Francisco members like Desert Financial to give a critical boost to local economic development programs and projects that directly address the needs in low- to moderate-income communities.
“A New Leaf was awarded the full amount of funding requested, which is a testament to the organization’s proven methods to improve the lives of underserved individuals in Arizona,“ said Desert Financial Credit Union Executive Vice President Jack Biggs. “We’re proud to play a role in a program that will help so many in our community improve their financial wellness.”
A New Leaf’s Greater Economic Mobility Program assists low- to moderate-income justice-involved individuals in Maricopa County with overcoming barriers to gaining and maintaining self-sufficiency and stability and reducing recidivism. This funding will allow A New Leaf to offer supplement services including assistance with healthcare, proper identification, computer access, mentorship, transportation, and more. These services provide critical support for formerly incarcerated individuals in the Phoenix Metro area to pursue, secure, and maintain employment.
The AHEAD program grant is a part of a competitive process which attracted more than 300 applications.
“These grants will help boost economic opportunity and create access to vital services and support that can be life-changing for people living in underserved communities,” said Eric Cicourel, community investment officer for FHLBank San Francisco. “We’re proud that for 20 years and counting, the AHEAD Program continues to make a positive impact throughout the communities we serve.”
To learn more about the services A New Leaf provides or to get involved, visit turnanewleaf.org.
To learn more about how Desert Financial gives back to the community, visit DesertFinancial.com/Community.
