Neighborhood Nonprofit Spotlight: You Can Make It Home Ownership Center, Inc

NASHVILLE, TN - Patch talks to You Can Make It Home Ownership, Inc about the work its doing to increase financial literacy through educational courses and workshops in the Middle Tennessee area.

Patch: Tell Patch a little bit about your organization!

You Can Make It: YCMIHOC was started in 2005 to address a need for uniformed, effective education opportunities for first-time home buyers. Since that time, the agency has partnered with the Tennessee Housing Development Agency, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and various community colleagues to further our mission. Over 2,000 households have participated in education and counseling and we have serviced the highest number of households in Tennessee through the THDA Homebuyer Education Initiative since 2010.

Patch: How does your organization help to strengthen the local community?

You Can Make It: We strengthen our community through home ownership education that creates financially capable, mortgage-literate consumers. Education and counseling combined with access to affordable mortgage products reduces episodes of delinquency and foreclosure.

Patch: What is the biggest struggle your organization faces?

You Can Make It: Balancing mission and funding. Resources are just as critical to a nonprofit as a for-profit. A significant portion of funding is dedicated to programs; however, programs, much like ours, depend on strong infrastructure, qualified staff, and technology.

Patch: What do you hope for the future of your nonprofit?

You Can Make It: YCMIHOC hopes to continue educating and counseling households, but we see affordable housing development as a new way we can connect low-moderate income families with critically needed housing.

Interested in learning about the free resources that Patch can offer nonprofits in the Tennessee area? Take a look here: 5 Ways Patch Can Help Nashville Nonprofits

Photo via You Can Make It Home Ownership, Inc