A 2023 TD Ready Challenge grant was awarded to Clarifi for their solution that helps address systemic barriers to affordable and stable housing and helps increase access for those who need it most.
Philadelphia, PA: Clarifi, a nonprofit organization that works to break down barriers to wealth for families in the Philadelphia metro, announced today that it has received one of the 10 grants available under the 2023 TD Ready Challenge presented by TD Bank Group (TD).
Through the TD grant, Clarifi will create down payment assistance for future homeowners, offer clients more affordable home repair options, and help to ensure more families have the knowledge to thrive financially. This opportunity will bolster Clarifi’s commitment to deepen racial equity through financial access. Every year, Clarifi assists thousands of families through financial challenges such as housing delinquencies and low savings. After working one-on-one with Clarifi’s certified counselors, clients are more prepared and empowered to achieve financial sustainability, become first-time homeowners, and build intergenerational wealth.
“We cannot build our way out of the affordable housing crisis, but we can preserve existing homes, help people build wealth through homeownership, and prevent foreclosures and evictions,” said Steve Gardner, Executive Director of Clarifi. “TD’s funding empowers us to uplift economically marginalized communities through our expert services.”
“Helping to create affordable housing solutions is one of the key ways TD strengthens communities, builds hope and encourages sustainable economic growth for all,” said Rob Curley, Regional President, Pennsylvania/New Jersey Metro, TD Bank. “These are just some of the pillars TD Bank stands for as corporate citizens. I am proud of our grantee recipient, Clarifi, and the great work they are doing to help break down barriers to wealth for families and help build a more equitable world for all.”
The TD Ready Challenge is part of the Bank’s longstanding commitment to help support organizations that are working to create a more inclusive and sustainable future. Each year, the TD Ready Challenge invites eligible organizations to submit applications that offer solutions to a problem statement that is connected to one or more of the four drivers of the TD Ready Commitment: Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. In previous years, the TD Ready Challenge problem statement has focused on helping drive more equitable health outcomes, address income stability, and address pandemic-related learning loss.
In total, TD awarded 10 grants of $1 million each (in CDN for Canadian organizations or USD for US organizations) as part of the 2023 TD Ready Challenge, to organizations like Clarifi, that are creating down payment assistance for future homeowners and offering clients more affordable home repair options, are ensuring more families have the knowledge to thrive financially.
A full list of TD Ready Challenge grant recipients as well as more information about the program can be found at: www.td.com/thereadychallenge.
“In our region, there are barriers to intergenerational wealth building in the form of loan denials, banking deserts, and the lasting impacts of redlining,” said Jill Roberts, Director of Advocacy at Clarifi. “Investments such as TD’s will enable more families to overcome those systemic barriers and gain financial resiliency.”
“By making home repair loans, cash grants and other low-barrier capital accessible to families of all incomes, we magnify the impact of our cornerstone financial and housing counseling services,” Roberts said. “Knowledge and capital, when combined, lead to lasting financial well-being for Black and Brownfamilies and other historically excluded populations.”
ABOUT CLARIFI: Clarifi is the largest provider of financial and housing empowerment services for low-to-moderate income residents of Southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Clarifi’s counselors help individuals develop the knowledge and resilience they need to build healthier, more secure financial lives, which in turn creates stronger families, households, and neighborhoods. To learn more, visit clarifi.org.
About The TD Ready Commitment
TD has a long-standing commitment to enriching the lives of its customers, colleagues and communities. As part of its corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment, TD is targeting CDN $1 billion (U.S. $775 million) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four areas critical to help open doors for a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow – Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through the TD Ready Commitment, TD aspires to link its business, philanthropy and human capital to help people feel more confident – not just about their finances, but also in their ability to achieve their personal goals in a changing world. For further information, visit td.com/tdreadycommitment.