Birmingham, Alabama:The Housing Affordability Trust (HAT) is pleased to announce the recipients for the 2020 round of HAT Grants. HAT provides financial support to eligible organizations to carry out housing and housing-related services for their charitable purposes.The board was inspired by all of the submissions from organizations that are working to improve housing and quality of life in the Birmingham Metro. This year’s grants total $4.9 million.

The 2020 recipients are:

• Birmingham Zoo, Inc.

• BLOX/GA Studio

• BuildUp

• Collat Jewish Family Services

• Common Thread

• Family Promise of Birmingham

• First Light, Inc.

• Girls Inc. of Central Alabama

• Grace House Ministries

• Habitat for Humanity Greater Birmingham

• Heart Gallery Alabama

• Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama

• Jefferson County Housing Authority

• Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham, Inc.

• One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center

• The WellHouse

• Titusville Development Corp.

• United Way of Central Alabama

• Woodlawn Foundation, Inc.

COVID-19 has impacted several of these organizations. For example, the Birmingham Zoo saw ZooSchool funders shift their giving to coronavirus-related issues. The ZooSchool is a critical part of STEM-based programming for seventh-grade students from low- to moderate-income families. The grant will keep the program going. Family Promise of Birmingham will use the funding to provide three months of housing for four homeless families living in extended-stay hotels, due to COVID-19 shelter restrictions.

HAT awards the grants annually. Since 2017, the board has awarded nearly $15 million to housing-related projects and programs.