BofA Names HANDY 2022 Neighborhood Builders

December 6, 2022

BofA Names HANDY and Take Stock in Children of Broward County, Inc. 2022 Neighborhood Builders®

Program Provides $200,000 in Flexible Funding to Each Organization and Leadership Development Training to Advance Economic Mobility in Broward County

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Bank of America today announced that HANDY and Take Stock in Children of Broward County, Inc. (TSIC) have been named as the 2022 Bank of America Neighborhood Builders® awardees for their work in Broward County to remove economic barriers and advance economic opportunity. With a multi-year grant from the bank, the two organizations will expand programs and services that are addressing housing, education, employment, and basic needs for families and underserved youth.

HANDY and TSIC will each receive a $200,000 grant over two years, comprehensive leadership training for the executive director and an emerging leader on topics ranging from increasing financial sustainability, human capital management, and strategic storytelling, join a network of peer organizations across the U.S., and access capital to expand their impact. The program continues to be the nation’s largest investment into nonprofit leadership development.

“Nonprofits are the backbone to our Broward County community as they are dedicated to understanding the obstacles many individuals, families and community members are experiencing. HANDY and TSIC were selected as Neighborhood Builders for their work to develop programs and services that will help alleviate or eliminate these barriers,” said Lori Chevy, president, Bank of America Fort Lauderdale. “It’s important that we direct not only capital, but also the necessary resources and training to help position these nonprofits and their leadership team for long-term success as they grow strategically and make a positive impact.”

HANDY strives to achieve positive, lasting change for youth by providing life skills, education, and a supportive community. The bank’s funding will go toward providing more resources for The Neighborhood Collective, a collaboration between HANDY, H.O.M.E.S. Inc. and Community Based Connection Inc.  Serving up to 50 families at a given time, The Neighborhood Collective will be able to better support the population’s needs in case management, job coaching and placement, educational support, and housing retention. HANDY Vice President of Operations Kathleen Docteur will lead the program and participate in leadership development to further HANDY’s community impact approach and foundational tools for effective impact.

“HANDY believes in building a sustainable neighborhood by embracing one family at a time, giving them the best that is within us,” said Kirk Brown, CEO, HANDY. “As cultivators of social change for the past 38 years, HANDY is honored that Bank of America has partnered with us to help fulfill our mission.”

TSIC seeks to break the cycle of poverty by providing mentoring services, postsecondary educational support, and college scholarships to Broward County’s underserved and at-risk students in grades six through 12, and the first 18 months of college. TSIC will use the funding to support operations, add an additional College and Career Success Coach, and increase student enrollment in the next two years by 60% through a partnership with Jack and Jill Centers and its new pilot program, “It’s L.I.T.: Life in Training.” The program will facilitate a labor supply chain platform that addresses the local talent and skills retention gap through a series of workshops, hands-on experience, and networking and internship opportunities with local businesses, potentially leading to long-term future employment for 25-30 low-income high school juniors and seniors. College success coach Raquel Rodriguez will serve as TSIC’s emerging leader, participating in leadership development to inspire staff and elevate TSIC’s innovative programming.

“We are honored and humbled to be chosen as a Neighborhood Builder for 2022. This award will provide a boost to the resources needed to implement a new life skills programming for the low-income, at-risk youth served in Broward,” said Amanda Frey, executive director, TSIC. “In addition, it will allow for some capacity building as we grow the number of staff, board, volunteers, and students to meet the needs of the community.”

In Broward County, 29 nonprofits have been selected as Neighborhood Builders, with the bank investing more than $5 million into these local organizations since 2004.  The invitation-only program is highly competitive, and organizations are selected by a committee comprised of community leaders and past Neighborhood Builders honorees.

Through 2021, Bank of America has invested over $280 million in 50 communities through Neighborhood Builders, partnering with more than 1,400 nonprofits and helping more than 2,800 nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills. Neighborhood Builders is just one example of how Bank of America deploys capital in communities, builds cross-sector partnerships, and promotes socioeconomic progress as part of its approach to responsible growth.

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Reporters May Contact:

Matthew Daily, Bank of America

matthew.daily@bofa.com