CINCINNATI, OH (March 22, 2022) — Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati (HFHGC), along with Habitat for Humanity International, and 83 U.S. Habitat affiliate organizations, recently received $436 million in unrestricted giving from American author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Of that, Habitat Greater Cincinnati received $7.5 million to serve more families in Greater Cincinnati. This transformational donation will substantially help further Habitat’s vision of a world where everyone has equitable access to a safe, decent, and affordable place to call home.
“We are humbled by MacKenzie Scott’s generosity and her trust in our ability to steward her investment wisely. This remarkable gift will have a catalytic impact on our mission to partner with families to build strength, stability, and self-reliance,” said Ed Lee, HFHGC President & CEO. “This is an unprecedented gift for our organization. It is an honor to be part of this group and we are excited about the transformation this investment can make.”
The need for affordable housing in our region is great. Habitat for Humanity is part of a continuum of solutions that includes government, private enterprise, and nonprofit providers. HFHGC will leverage this gift to move forward with a five-year strategic plan that expands the number of families served through traditional homeownership and repair programs, while seeking new ways to build self-sufficiency through financial literacy and construction workforce development. HFHGC will continue to prioritize equitable practices within our communities and in our organization.
Habitat International will use its $25 million portion of the donation to prioritize advocacy and programmatic efforts designed to dismantle systemic racism in housing. Specifically, the donation will allow Habitat to advocate for policy proposals and legislation that enable millions of people access affordable housing through its Cost of Home advocacy campaign; increase Black homeownership in the U.S. by targeting current systemic barriers through a new initiative that will launch this summer; and leverage innovative capital investments that service communities of color.
“Habitat works to break down barriers and bring people together — to tear down obstacles and build a world where everyone, no matter who we are or where we come from, has a decent place to live,” said Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford. “This incredible gift helps make that work possible.”
For more information contact Sarah Reynolds, sarah.reynolds@habitatcincinnati.org