Manatee County Habitat for Humanity is excited to share the impact of a recent $14,000 grant from the Edward K. Roberts Fund and the Terwilliger Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. This funding directly supports the Advancing Black Homeownership (ABH) Initiative by enabling access to 100 licenses for TrustPlus, a personalized financial counseling service.
TrustPlus offers families one-on-one financial coaching to strengthen their financial health and prepare for the journey to homeownership. With the guidance of expert coaches, families learn to overcome economic challenges and become mortgage-ready through Manatee Habitat or traditional lenders. The ABH Initiative addresses systemic disparities in homeownership rates by equipping Black families with the tools to build generational wealth, promoting financial literacy education, and engaging community members in constructing an Advancing Black Homeownership home.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County for their unwavering support over the past 19 years,” said Bernie Quinn, President and CEO of Manatee County Habitat for Humanity. “This grant allows us to provide critical resources to families in our community, empowering them to achieve financial stability and long-term housing security.”
Since its inception, the ABH Initiative has connected families to financial literacy programs designed to foster community-driven solutions to housing inequity. The partnership with the Community Foundation reflects a shared mission to dismantle the barriers that have historically hindered Black families from achieving homeownership. The foundation’s consistent support—totaling more than $136,000 across 27 donations—underscores a deep commitment to education, health care, and basic needs for underserved populations.
This latest grant represents a significant step in advancing equitable access to housing opportunities, and Manatee Habitat remains dedicated to building a future where homeownership and generational wealth are accessible to all. The collective efforts of our community and generous partners like the Community Foundation of Sarasota County make this vision possible. Together, we continue to turn dreams of stable, affordable housing into reality.