The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation announced a commitment of $38 million toward addressing homelessness in Austin, which builds on the Foundation’s longtime engagement in Central Texas. Of the commitment, $36.6 million will be allocated to Multiplying Goodness, a capital campaign for Mobile Loaves & Fishes’ Community First! Village development which will fund an additional 1,400 homes for Central Texans coming out of chronic homelessness. The Foundation is inviting the community to match the funds to help Mobile Loaves & Fishes reach its $150 million goal.

In addition, $1 million of matching funds will go to Foundation Communities for the construction of 100 units of housing on the Burleson property at Community First! Village. Another $400,000 will go to LifeWorks to provide permanent housing for youth exiting homelessness, which aligns with the housing goals of both Mobile Loaves & Fishes and Foundation Communities.

Since 2015, Community First! Village has become a nationally recognized model for addressing chronic homelessness. A development of Mobile Loaves & Fishes, Community First! Village provides low-cost permanent housing, robust support services, and a strong community where people can begin to settle, heal, and transform their lives. Of the approximately 3,000 people who are experiencing homelessness in Austin, Texas, 51% are chronically homeless, about double the national average of 25%. The Foundation grant represents a one-time commitment toward funding the expansion of Community First! Village to address this urgent need.

There are many systemic factors that can threaten housing stability and ongoing, sustained efforts are needed to help individuals get and stay on the path toward a stronger and more prosperous future. The Foundation and Mobile Loaves & Fishes are inviting the community to multiply goodness this Giving Tuesday and beyond by making a contribution.

Mobile Loaves & Fishes has determined that $150 million is needed to develop the next expansion of Community First! Village. This budget includes $50 million to construct all the supporting infrastructure and $100 million to build approximately 1,400 additional homes and necessary buildings to provide holistic care. Construction on the next phases of Community First! Village is set to begin in 2022, expanding an already proven model that has been shown to have a life-changing impact on the lives of people experiencing homeless in Central Texas.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of children living in urban poverty across the world. Headquartered in Austin, Texas with additional offices in New Delhi, India, and Cape Town, South Africa, the Dell Foundation funds programs that foster high-quality public education and childhood wellness and improve the economic stability of families living in poverty. The foundation has committed more than $2 billion to global children’s issues and community initiatives to date.

Founded in 1998, Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF) is a social outreach ministry that empowers communities into a lifestyle of service with the homeless. MLF’s innovative Community First! Village is the country’s largest master planned development designed specifically for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness, and has become a national model replicated by other organizations in different cities. With the support of tens of thousands of volunteers and more than 6 million meals served through its Truck Ministry, MLF has also grown to become the largest prepared feeding program to the homeless in Central Texas and has spawned similar food truck programs across the country.

This was reported by Michael & Susan Dell Foundation on November 30, 2021.

Contact information: The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, 4417 Westlake Drive, Austin, Texas 78746; 512-600-5500; Email: info@dell.org; Website: https://www.dell.org/