A $2.5 million grant from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund to the Salvation Army Fort Myers Command will allow the local organization to launch “2 Gen Families First,” a comprehensive approach to strengthening the family, encouraging full-child development and enhancing employability of parents.
The Bezos grant is the largest gift in the local organization’s history and is part of the sixth round of annual Day 1 Families Fund grants, which recognize leading organizations doing compassionate, needle-moving work to help families experiencing homelessness secure housing and achieve stability.
“There are too many families living in hotels and cars. The Day 1 Families Fund grant is catalytic to changing the paths to rehousing and hope. Indeed, it is a pathway of hope.”Major Ethan Frizzell of the Salvation Army, Fort Myers Area Command
“There are too many families living in hotels and cars,” said Major Ethan Frizzell of the Salvation Army, Fort Myers Area Command. “The Day 1 Families Fund grant is catalytic to changing the paths to rehousing and hope. Indeed, it is a pathway of hope.”
The Salvation Army, Fort Myers Area Command was selected as a Day 1 Families Fund grant recipient by a group of national advisors who are leading advocates and experts on homelessness and service provision. National advisors brought expertise on housing justice, advancing racial equity and helping programs employ resources effectively to assist families out of homelessness.
This year, the Fund issued a total of $117.55 million in grants to 38 organizations. The Day 1 Families Fund has now granted this award to organizations in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. New states this year include Arkansas, Vermont and Wyoming. The full list of awardees is available at bezosdayonefund.org/day1familiesfund.
The Day 1 Families Fund has provided 208 grants totaling more than $630 million to organizations around the country working on the frontlines to identify unsheltered families, help families regain housing and connect families experiencing homelessness to vital services.
A selection of more than half of the Day 1 Families Fund grantees who received funding between 2018 through 2021 report that, to date, they have used their grants to divert more than 28,000 families from experiencing homelessness, connect more than 30,000 unsheltered families with safe shelter and help more than 75,000 families access the services they need.
About the Salvation Army
For over 70 years, The Salvation Army, Fort Myers Area Command has served Lee, Hendry & Glades Counties by offering help, hope, and home to thousands of vulnerable men, woman, and children. Basic needs assistance (food, shelter, clothing, and personal goods), mental health and substance abuse counseling, life skills classes, employment and housing support, intensive case management and special holiday assistance programs are some of the services offered to victims of natural disaster, those living in poverty, those afflicted with mental illness and addictions and individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.