Blog

Congratulations to the 7 of Hearts, the Ignite Louisville team working with the Family & Children’s Place Family Stabilization Program (FSP), for winning the 2017 YUM! Ignites Challenge.   The Ignite group helped the FSP team recruit landlords to help provide more homeless families and those at risk of homelessness a safe, affordable place to live!

Ignite is a program of Leadership Louisville, and Family & Children’s Place was one of 10 nonprofits selected to pitch a project to the six participating Ignite teams. Each selected team was paired with a nonprofit, and the six – F&CP among them – collaborated on their project for seven months and then presented before a panel of Leadership Louisville judges, who declared 7 of Hearts winner.

“We were so happy to have such a dedicated and talented team that we weren’t focused on the competition, but it was indeed a contest,” said Jennifer Clark, Family Stabilization Program director.

Team members are:

• Adam Price – VoA Mid States
• Alec Risch – Heine Brothers Coffee
• Lisa Bellafato – Passport Health Plan
• Tracey Johnson – Brown-Forman
• Katie Porter – Norton Healthcare
• Whitney Schulze – Zirmed
• Brad Savko – Republic Bank

As part of their project, the Ignite team, along with the FSP staff, successfully met with 12 local property owners and created a database of more than 40 others the homeless prevention program could tap as needed.  The Ignite team worked with Family & Children’s Place to create a web portal – www.hopetohomes.org – to connect with landlords and ease access, and secured a two-part series on the program on WDRB-TV.

“We were obviously thrilled to have won but we were already really proud of the work we’ve done to help advance the mission of Family & Children’s Place and, most importantly, to help more clients like Tanya, Joey, Steven, and Janet find safe, affordable housing,” said Ignite team member Price.

Congratulations on the win, 7 of Hearts, and thank you for your help and support!