FIRST NIAGARA FOUNDATION AWARDS $20,000 TO NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF NEW HAVEN AND NEW HAVEN HOMEOWNERSHIP CENTER

For Immediate Release
May 16, 2016
Maria Perez-Martinez, 475-227-0530, mmartinez@nhsofnewhaven.org

FIRST NIAGARA FOUNDATION AWARDS $20,000 TO
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF NEW HAVEN AND
NEW HAVEN HOMEOWNERSHIP CENTER

NEW HAVEN, CT – First Niagara Foundation, the charitable non-profit entity of First Niagara Bank, has awarded a grant of $20,000 to Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven and the New Haven HomeOwnership Center. The funding from First Niagara will support NHS’ Comprehensive Neighborhood Stabilization and Revitalization Initiative and HOC’s Homebuyer Promotion and Preservation Program. These programs are poised to rehabilitate 12 houses, totaling at least 20 units for affordable homeownership in addition to providing homebuyer education, financial literacy training, and foreclosure prevention counseling.

“Community Development and Neighborhood Revitalization is a focus of our philanthropic giving,” said Paul McCraven, Senior Vice President of Community Development for First Niagara. “We have long partnered with Neighborhood Housing Services and the HomeOwnership Center, and are proud to support their work in revitalizing New Haven neighborhoods and providing affordable homeownership options to many who would not otherwise have the ability to own their own homes.”  

 “This contribution from the First Niagara Foundation will play a significant role in helping us to strengthen our comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategy and enhance our homebuyer promotion and preservation programs”, said James Paley, Executive Director of NHS. “First Niagara is demonstrating a wonderful commitment to improve the lives of low- to moderate-income families in New Haven and we are truly grateful for their continued support.”

Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven and its subsidiary the New Haven HomeOwnership Center, works to revitalize selected neighborhoods in New Haven by increasing homeownership; making homes beautiful, energy-efficient, and affordable; and helping residents take charge of their neighborhoods. We believe that increased homeownership, educated homebuyers, and rehabilitated houses will produce stable, revitalized neighborhoods that our clients will be proud to call home. During the course of our 36-year history, NHS has fully renovated and sold more than 270 houses to low- and moderate-income families.

First Niagara, through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Niagara Bank, N.A., is a multi-state community-oriented bank with approximately 390 branches, $40 billion in assets, $30 billion in deposits, and approximately 5,300 employees providing financial services to individuals, families and businesses across New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts.  For additional information on First Niagara, visit www.firstniagara.com, follow them on Twitter @FirstNiagara, or like them on Facebook at FirstNiagaraBank.

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