This man has invited homeless people to live in his front yard

Good News Notes: “Less than five minutes’ drive from downtown Salt Lake City sits the quiet neighborhood of Fairpark. The area hosts an annual state fair, a regional campus of Utah State University and modest homes with small yards. On one of those yards sits a random group of tents where people experiencing homelessness have…

Two local nonprofits get millions in grants from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos

Good News Notes: “Two metro Atlanta nonprofits focused on ending homelessness for families are the recipients of multimillion-dollar grants from a philanthropic organization started by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. The Day 1 Families Fund gave a total of $105.9 million in grants to 42 nonprofits in 24 states across the country. In Georgia, MUST Ministries…

Grand Rapids men’s housing charity gets creative with rooftop fundraiser

Good News Notes: “Exodus Place, a local men’s housing charity, took its fundraiser to the next level with a rooftop sit-in. As the weather gets colder and public amenities limit capacity or shut down due to COVID-19, it is a trying time for those experiencing homelessness in Grand Rapids. In solidarity, Exodus Place is holding…

Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively Donate $500,000 to Homeless Youth

Good News Notes: “Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have opened their wallets to at-risk youths struggling with homelessness in Canada. The couple donated $250,000 to both Covenant House Vancouver and Covenant House Toronto, an organization which Reynolds, 44, has supported for a long time, according to a press release. The nonprofit provides homeless youth with basic needs like food…

City of Scottsdale makes efforts to help homeless with CARES funds

Good News Notes: “With the use of more than $700,000 in federal grant funds, Scottsdale is creating positive momentum in its efforts to assist residents facing homelessness. Scottsdale City Council accepted Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development due to the federal CARES Act during a…

Anchorage Assembly authorizes city to purchase properties for homeless services

Good News Notes: “The Anchorage Assembly voted Tuesday night to authorize the Municipality to move forward with the purchase of four properties for substance treatment and homelessness resources. The controversial plan brought multiple protests on both sides of the issue, plus nearly thirty hours of public testimony and thousands of emailed comments. The four properties…

Seattle allocates $13 million to help homeless residents amid pandemic

Good News Notes: “Seattle is allocating $13 million from a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce to help people experiencing homelessness during the coronavirus pandemic. The funds, from the Washington State Department of Commerce COVID-19 Emergency Housing Grant, will go toward a number of resources in the city, including sustaining hygiene services, reducing crowding in shelters…