Housing Partnership MYCAP Receives Grant to
Help Families Behind on Bills Amid Pandemic
(Youngstown, Ohio) – As Ohioans continue to struggle with the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio is lending a hand to the Mahoning Youngstown Community Action Partnership (MYCAP) as it helps Youngstown families pay their rent, mortgage, and energy bills amid the coronavirus pandemic. Anthem has given the partnership a $25,000 grant to bolster efforts to fight housing insecurity.
“Threat of eviction and mounting unpaid bills is bad for mental health,” said Shelia Triplett, CEO of the Mahoning Youngstown Community Action Partnership. “This grant gives 18 families in the Mahoning Valley the time they need to stabilize their finances while they recover from the economic impact of COVID. The nearly year-long economic distress of the pandemic left many local nonprofits with limited resources, making Anthem’s contributions even more valuable to families in the Youngstown area.”
“Housing is crucial for good health,” added Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown. “The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on housing security for thousands of Ohioans, and this grant from Anthem will go a long way in helping families who need it most.”
The grant is part of a more than $2 million commitment that Anthem and its Foundation have made to support Ohio communities and nonprofit organizations on the front lines of the pandemic, including grants to the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, Community Shelter Board, CHN Housing Network, and Star House Foundation.
"Addressing housing insecurity remains an ongoing focus for all of us at Anthem, and we are deeply committed to helping families in Youngstown and beyond recover from the pandemic,” said Dr. Bradley Jackson, Medicaid Medical Director for Anthem in Ohio. “These are challenging times for everyone, including Black, Hispanic, and younger Ohioans, which the pandemic has had an especially harsh impact. It’s up to all of us to get through this crisis together.”
A survey on housing security by the U.S. Census estimated that one in 10 Ohioans in early December was either behind on rent or mortgage payments or had little to no confidence making next month's payment. In Ohio, housing insecurity is higher than the national average – and the outlook is even worse for Black, Hispanic, and younger renters. Higher levels of eviction rates have consistently been linked to mental health illness or substance use.
Visit here to learn more about MYCAP, which has served low and moderate-income residents of Youngstown and surrounding areas for 55 years, and here to learn more about Anthem’s commitment to help Ohio nonprofits in the wake of the pandemic.