Durham, N.C.-based Duke Health and the A.J. Fletcher Foundation are investing $1.65 million in Durham’s Flexible Housing Assistance Fund, which helps residents experiencing homelessness cover the costs of moving into housing.
The investment includes $1 million from Duke and $650,000 from the foundation, according to a Nov. 12 news release from the city of Durham. It is expected to help about 200 additional households move into stable housing.
The fund covers costs such as security deposits, utility debt, application fees, back rent and short-term rental assistance. It supports Durham’s housing sprints, short-term efforts in which outreach workers, nonprofits and landlords work together to move households into homes within weeks. Since February, those efforts have helped 115 people move into housing, according to the release.
The gifts are the first toward a goal of raising $5 million in private and philanthropic support. They build on more than $8 million the city of Durham and Durham County invested this year in homelessness services and housing.
“Health begins at home. It is hard to recover from an illness, manage a chronic condition or stay connected to care when you do not know where you will sleep tonight,” said David Zaas, MD, CEO of Duke University Health System. “Duke Health is committed to being a long-term partner in that work, and we hope others will join us.”
Duke Health includes Duke University Health System, which has four hospitals, along with Duke University School of Medicine and Duke University School of Nursing.
