For Immediate Release
January 29, 2008
Contact: Erin Angell, 202-220-6317, eangell@nw.org
Hillary Rowe, 404-526-1273, hrowe@nw.org
NeighborWorks America and the National Baptist Convention Launch Regional Foreclosure and Homeownership Initiative
Atlanta, Ga. —Today NeighborWorks America and the National Baptist Convention of America (NBCA) announced that they are joining forces to launch a faith-based initiative designed to stem the riding tide of foreclosures and provide affordable homes in the Southeastern United States. NBCA will use the funds to host foreclosure workshops for members of its congregations and the communities they serve, train staff counselors in foreclosure counseling, and leverage dollars to help build affordable homes in New Orleans.
NeighborWorks America awarded NBCA a $100,000 grant at Tuesday’s “Foreclosure Prevention and Homeownership Initiatives” luncheon, hosted by NBCA and attended by more than 90 regional Baptist leaders. The grant will be dispersed over two years.
 |
Check Presentation
From left, Marshall Crawford, NeighborWorks America Southern district; Dr. Stephen Thurston, president, National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.; and Don Phoenix, NeighborWorks America, Southern district director
Photo: National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. |
“Partnering with the National Baptist Convention gives us an opportunity to work with their leadership to design foreclosure and homeownership initiatives that best meet their congregation’s and community’s needs,” said Don Phoenix, district director, NeighborWorks America’s Southern District. “NeighborWorks has a rich history in community development best practices and providing technical assitance, and we are looking forward to working with the NBCA to help them exceed their goals.”
The NeighborWorks Center for Foreclosure Solutions, an initiative of NeighborWorks America, was created in 2005 to preserve homeownership in the face of rising foreclosure rates. In conjunction with national nonprofit, mortgage, and insurance partners, the Center builds capacity among counselors across the nation, conducts public outreach campaigns to reach struggling homeowners, and researches local and national foreclosure trends to develop strategic solutions. To reach at-risk homeowners across the country, NeighborWorks America teamed up with the Ad Council to create a national public service advertising campaign. Ads encourage struggling homeowners who are having trouble paying their mortgage to call The Homeownership Preservation Foundation’s Homeowner’s HOPE Hotline at 1-888-995-HOPE. Counseling is available through the hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, in English and Spanish. This counseling is provided by a network of certified counseling agencies throughout the country.
“The NBCA is excited to support Congress and NeighborWorks in this crisis regarding foreclosures. We recognize our responsibility to educate our members and communities. This initiative is the first of many projects designed to keep individuals in homes,” said
Dr. R. Odom, special projects director for NBCA. “Finally we have a partner in NeighborWorks America with resources and the strategy to confront this problem at the source.”
About NeighborWorks America
NeighborWorks America creates opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. To date, we have assisted nearly 850,000 low- to moderate-income families with their housing needs. Much of our success is achieved through our support of the NeighborWorks network ― more than 230 community development organizations working in 4,400 urban, suburban and rural communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $12.4 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation’s leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals.
About the National Baptist Convention of America
More than 20,000 Baptist from across North America will gather in Atlanta January 30 to February 1 in an unprecedented demonstration of Baptist unity. Under the theme “Unity in Christ,” the three day Atlanta Celebration will feature speakers and presenters who will address historic Baptist commitments and explore other opportunities to work together as Christian partners.
New Baptist Covenant is an informal alliance of more than 30 racially, geographically, and theologically diverse Baptist organizations from throughout North America that claim more than 20 million members. The National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., is an inaugural member of this alliance. Representatives of these Baptist organizations have reaffirmed traditional Baptist values, including sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and its implications for public and private morality, as well as their obligations as Christians to fulfill the biblical mandate to promote peace with justice, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, care for the sick and the marginalized, and promote religious liberty and respect for religious diversity.
