Because a Home Matters

“Without a home, everything else falls apart.” That quote sets the stage for Pulitzer Prize winning author Matthew Desmond’s book “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City.” Northern Kentucky University has embraced this book as a touchstone for outreach and engagement around issues of housing insecurity.

America has an eviction epidemic. Kentucky is not immune. There are nearly 13,000 evictions a year in the state. Each one turns a family’s life upside down. Jobs are lost. Money set aside for food is needed for housing. The children may be uprooted from their schools.

Agencies in our region are working to address eviction and housing insecurity. Some are providing temporary shelter. Or food. Or economic counseling. Or support services for education.

Support our class: Your donation to “Because a Home Matters” will support a Fall 2018 Mayerson Student Philanthropy Project class at Northern Kentucky University. Our students will learn about housing insecurity, examine what agencies are addressing it, and – at the end of the semester – invest $2,000.

Matching funds: Our campaign seeks to raise half of that. The other $1,000 is matching funds from a generous (but anonymous) donor.

Who benefits:  The beauty of the Mayerson Student Philanthropy Program is you have the potential to make a difference in the lives of our students and local communities.  While our students are choosing our organization to receive this grant, they will be learning all about the issue and themes identified in Evicted. By donating, you are investing in better housing support services in our region ... but also in student learning.