AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: The video above was a piece about the journey of an Austin woman from chronic homelessness to a permanent home.
The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation is committing $38 million to three Austin-area nonprofit organizations dedicated to housing people experiencing homelessness.
The donation comes on Giving Tuesday, a day that encourages people to donate to charities after Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
The Dell Foundation announced Tuesday that the $38 million would be divvied up among three organizations: $36.6 million to Mobile Loaves & Fishes, $1 million to Foundation Communities and $400,000 to LifeWorks.
Mobile Loaves & Fishes' portion will be used toward its third and fourth phases of its Community First! Village program, priced at $150 million. The program houses people who have experienced homelessness in a community of microhouses, manufactured homes and RVs.
“As Austin grows, it’s more important than ever that we care for those most vulnerable in our communities,” said Susan Dell, co-founder and board chair of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. “By coming together as a community, we can provide those experiencing homelessness in Central Texas with the dignity they deserve through stable housing and the opportunity to experience community again. We are honored to partner with Mobile Loaves & Fishes, Foundation Communities and LifeWorks — along with the broader Central Texas community through our community match — to accelerate the difference these organizations are already making on the ground each day.”
In the two phases, nearly 1,400 homes will be added, half in phase three on 51 acres next to the existing 51 acres with 500 homes on Hog Eye Road in northeast Austin. The other half will be applied to the fourth phase, which is a 76-acre space on Burleson Road between U.S. 183 and McKinney Falls Parkway in southeast Austin.
“What’s happening through Community First! Village is a reflection of the genuine goodness that exists in our great city,” said Alan Graham, founder and CEO of Mobile Loaves & Fishes. “Our vision is for Austin to truly become a community that is empowered into a lifestyle of service with our neighbors who have experienced homelessness. We are deeply grateful for this abundantly generous gift from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and the unifying impact that it will inspire throughout the broader community as we continue to serve our friends who need it most.”
The $1 million given to Foundation Communities will build 100 apartment units on the site of Community First! Village's fourth phase on Burleson Road.
LifeWorks' $400,000 will go toward permanent housing for youths experiencing homelessness.
“The Foundation remains committed to its core mission of creating opportunity for children and families living in urban poverty through education, health, and family economic stability,” said Michael Dell, chairman and chief executive officer of Dell Technologies and co-founder of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. “We believe everyone deserves opportunity. But it isn’t easy to chart the path to a stronger future without a secure place to live. With stable housing and a supportive community, people can create a better future.”
Construction on the next phases of Community First! Village is set to begin in 2022, officials said.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: