ST. PAUL, Minn.– As part of its longstanding commitment to supporting the Bemidji community and surrounding areas, the Affinity Plus Foundation is pleased to announce a new grant donation to the Headwaters Housing Development Corporation (HHDC) to expand financial education and homeownership opportunities for individuals and families across northern Minnesota.
The credit union said HHDC plays a critical local role in building and maintaining stable housing, administering homeownership and improvement programs and leading community development efforts across Beltrami, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Clearwater and Lake of the Woods counties, including the Red Lake, White Earth and Leech Lake Indian reservations.
The $30,000 grant – which is renewable for up to three years pending annual results – will help HHDC implement a new tracking process that follows participants from basic financial education all the way to first-time homeownership, while offering support and referral services for case management to augment success at every stage.
The grant will also expand access to HHDC’s RENTwise and Getting Ahead programs in Beltrami County and introduce RENTwise and Getting Ahead to other counties in the region. Collectively, these programs will help more Minnesotans develop financial skills, repair credit and prepare for successful homeownership.
“Stable housing and financial education go hand in hand,” said Jacquie Twedt, board chair of the Affinity Plus Foundation. “Whether it’s building savings, repairing credit or purchasing your first home, we’re passionate about helping our northern Minnesota communities access the tools, resources and confidence to achieve their goals. This partnership with HHDC represents our shared mission to empower these communities together.”
In addition to expanding access to financial education resources, the Foundation will also partner with HHDC to bring guest speakers and local employee experts to assist with programming.
“Every time we sit down with a family working toward their first home, we see what financial confidence can do – it changes lives, strengthens neighborhoods and transforms communities,” said Levi Haar, operations manager at Headwaters Housing Development Corporation. “We couldn’t do this work without partners like the Affinity Plus Foundation, and their shared belief in the power of financial education provides opportunities beyond critical funding to exchange resources and knowledge. Together, we’re inspired to continue showing up for these families, providing them with the resources and knowledge they need to create lasting change in our communities.”
The program rollout is underway in Bemidji with planning in progress for Mahnomen and surrounding counties. With expanded capacity, HHDC expects to engage up to 75 participants per quarter, with a goal of helping at least five participants transition into first-time homeownership each quarter as the program matures.
