Funds will help female ex-offenders
THDA awards Mending Hearts grant to build transitional housing
Oct. 4, 2020 – A grant from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) will allow Mending Hearts to build new housing for women who are ex-offenders and dealing with addiction and mental health issues.
The $500,000 Tennessee Housing Trust Fund grant was one of six totaling just over $2.4 million that were awarded during the Spring 2020 round of THDA’s competitive grant program.
The funding will be used to build transitional housing for low-income women who are ex-offenders dealing with addiction, mental health problems or homelessness. The residence will be located on the Mending Hearts campus in Nashville.
Mending Hearts will combine the grant with an additional $319,840 in matching funds to complete construction on the property.
THDA Executive Director Ralph M. Perrey said the grant funding will allow Mending Hearts to further its mission to assist at risk-women battling addiction and mental illness.
“We are pleased to continue supporting projects by organizations like Mending Hearts that are making a difference in the community,” Perrey said. “Safe and stable housing plays an important role in helping people who have struggled with addiction or other mental health issues transition to a better life.”
Mending Hearts President and CEO Trina Frierson said the funding provided by THDA played a crucial role in the viability of the project.
“The funding from THDA will allow us to demolish an old, outdated structure on our campus and replace it with this new housing,” Frierson said. “The women we serve are among the hardest to serve and this will let us reach more of those that are currently on our waiting list for services.”
The transitional recovery home will include over 3,100 sq. ft. of living space and eight bedrooms. Two of the units will be targeted towards ex-offenders, while the remaining six will be used to house women facing addition, mental health issues and homelessness. All residents will have access to supportive services including intensive outpatient substance abuse counseling, case management, mainstream services referrals, transportation and financial literacy services, among others.
The Tennessee Housing Trust Fund (THTF) was created by the THDA board of directors to provide financial support for innovative, affordable initiatives that serve the housing needs of Tennessee’s most vulnerable residents.
Funding for the Tennessee Housing Trust Fund comes entirely from earnings generated through THDA’s Single Family Mortgage program. THTF grants are awarded through a competitive application process. Since 2006 THDA has provided over $73.2 million in THTF grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations across the state.
