Liberty Community Services Awarded $120,000 From KeyBank Foundation To Bring Housing and Transportation Services to New Haven Homeless

NEW HAVEN, Conn., March 27, 2024 /3BL/ — Liberty Community Services of New Haven has been awarded a two-year $120,000 grant from KeyBank Foundation, the charitable foundation of KeyBank, to support the organization’s mission of “Getting People Home”. KeyBank’s funding will help provide support and transportation services vital to moving people from homelessness to housed. In particular, the funding will assist Liberty in purchasing vehicles critical to making outreach to tenants and clients in the community possible, enabling them to serve more than 2,400 people a year.

“Liberty Community Services is serving more people today than ever before - the homeless and housing needs of our community has never been more critical,” said Liberty Community Services’ Executive Director Jim Pettinelli. “The timing of this generous grant of $120,000 from the Key Bank Foundation could not be better, and we are so grateful.” Pettinelli went on to say, “This grant will make a difference in our collective efforts to offer more people a path to housing and stability. Liberty, our board, our staff, community partners, and clients appreciate KeyBank's amazing support in this important work. This grant is truly an investment in solutions that offers hope to our entire community.”

Liberty Community Services serves people in the Greater New Haven area that are experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness, experiencing some type of housing instability, or receiving assistance through one of Liberty’s programs – permanent supportive housing (congregate, scattered site), rapid re-housing (transitional supportive housing for up to 24 months), outreach & engagement, or short-term/one-time support related to homelessness prevention, rental start-up or shelter diversion. Their biggest dedication of services is focused on serving those who are experiencing chronic homelessness. They also serve those living with serious comorbidities, like HIV disease, mental illness and/or addiction.

“KeyBank joins Liberty Community Services in the belief that everyone in our community should have safe and affordable housing. As a community-minded bank, we are committed to providing access to capital and support to neighborhoods and neighbors who often face unfair financial barriers,” said KeyBank’s Market President Matthew Hummel. “We are pleased to provide financial assistance to Liberty to enable them to expand support and transportation resources needed to help individuals and families achieve stable, permanent homes.”

KeyBank Foundation grants are part of a $40 billion commitment for lending and investments across Key’s national footprint established in 2017 and supporting affordable housing and community development projects, home, and small business lending in low- and-moderate income communities, and philanthropic efforts targeted toward education, workforce development, and safe, vital neighborhoods.

On March 19^th, leaders from KeyBank made a check presentation to staff and clients of Liberty Community Services at their facility at 210 State Street in New Haven.

About Liberty Community Services, Inc.

Liberty Community Services' mission is to end homelessness in Greater New Haven. We offer services to those experiencing and at risk of homelessness who are living with HIV disease, mental illness and/or addiction. Liberty provides scattered-site supportive housing, comprehensive supportive housing in congregate sites, work development programing, flexible rental start-up and homelessness prevention funding, and innovative outreach and referral services that help individuals and families navigate our community's complex system of care.

About KeyBank Foundation: 

KeyBank Foundation serves to fulfill KeyBank’s purpose to help clients and communities thrive, and its mission is to support organizations and programs that prepare people for thriving futures. The Foundation’s mission is advanced through three funding priorities – neighbors, education, and workforce – and through community service. To provide meaningful philanthropy that transforms lives, KeyBank Foundation listens carefully to understand the unique characteristics and needs of its communities and then backs solutions with targeted philanthropic investments. KeyBank Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation, funded by KeyCorp.

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $188 billion at December 31, 2023. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC

Media contact: Karen Crane, KeyBank | 203-789-2752 | [email protected]