Building Our Neighborhoods with Bank of America

We’re thrilled to announce Central City Concern has been named as a 2020 Bank of America Neighborhood Builders® awardee. Along with Portland Community College Foundation, we were selected for our work to address issues fundamental to economic mobility by providing housing and workforce development services in Portland.

Annually, the bank’s selection committee chooses two organizations to receive the Neighborhood Builders award that includes a $200,000 grant in flexible funding, a year of leadership training, a network of peer organizations across the U.S., and the opportunity to access capital to expand our impact.

CCC will dedicate the dollars to expanding Flip the Script, our unique program serving recently incarcerated men and women with integrated housing, employment and peer support services. Over the next two years, our goal is to double the number of people receiving housing and workforce training services through the program.

Since the start of the pandemic, CCC has seen a dramatic increase in demand for services that address different levels of housing insecurity, health disparities and homelessness. For example, the need for rent assistance has increased by over 200% since the same time last year. In response, we’ve pivoted operations to provide more relief to more people. One of the changes includes moving the physical location of Flip the Script to the newly renovated Henry building, a more accessible space for clients and in closer proximity to the Justice Center. This move and program expansion are supported by the Neighborhood Builders grant and will help more applicants leaving the justice system learn about Flip the Script.

“This investment will help us reach more individuals with the opportunity to turn their lives around,” says Rachel Solotaroff, CCC President & CEO. “Homelessness in Portland was already on the rise before the pandemic, but the dramatic increase in financial insecurity has meant even more individuals find themselves on the brink. We need a variety of programs to address the needs of different at-risk populations. Flip the Script works with individuals exiting the justice system to provide stable housing and workforce development pathways.”

This newest grant builds on a partnership with Bank of America that began earlier this year with a $50,000 COVID-19 response grant to support CCC’s efforts to provide safe housing to our community’s most vulnerable
individuals and families.

“Central City Concern and the Portland Community College Foundation are reaching disadvantaged communities through housing and workforce development programs, which align with Bank of America’s commitment to advance racial equality and economic opportunity,” says Roger Hinshaw, Oregon and Southwest Washington market president, Bank of America. “As we consider many of the challenges that our communities are facing – from the health and humanitarian crisis brought on by the coronavirus to the need for progress on racial equality and economic opportunity – the Neighborhood Builders program continues to
be a relevant and timely initiative to support the communities we serve.”

Since 2004, through the Neighborhood Builders program, Bank of America has invested more than $260 million in 50 communities, partnering with more than 1,300 nonprofits and more than 2,600 nonprofit leaders.

Thank you, Bank of America, for your continued support in helping us meet the needs of our community!