Open Sky Awarded $250,000 Housing Grant from TD Charitable Foundation

Open Sky was recently awarded a $250,000 Housing for Everyone grant from the TD Charitable Foundation, the giving arm of TD Bank U.S., to support the agency’s comprehensive services for individuals at risk of homelessness in Central Mass.

“Our community continues to face significant housing challenges that demand a comprehensive, community-based response,” said Ken Bates, Open Sky President and CEO.  “This contribution will have an immediate and meaningful impact on individuals at risk of homelessness, and most importantly, it will help save lives.  Thanks to the generosity of the TD Charitable Foundation, we can continue to advance housing stability and help individuals and families achieve greater economic mobility.”

Open Sky’s existing Tenancy Preservation team engages with vulnerable and at-risk populations, ages 55 and over, with resources to stabilize housing access and prevent eviction and homelessness.  The specialized model offers case management, clinical services, and recovery-based support while connecting individuals to social service programs, skills training, and additional resources.  Through the Housing for Everyone grant, the program will be expanded to support adults under the age of 55.

“At TD, we believe that supporting organizations dedicated to preventing eviction is not only a philanthropic commitment, but a meaningful investment in the long‑term stability of our communities,” said Paige Carlson-Heim, Head of Social Impact at TD and Director of TD Charitable Foundation.  “When renters stay housed, neighborhoods remain strong and local economies are more resilient.  The work of Open Sky is vital in helping renters navigate challenges before they escalate, promoting stability for families and the communities they call home.”

Open Sky is among 40 nonprofit organizations across TD’s footprint to receive funding through the grant program, which supports solutions that foster early intervention, advance housing stability, and decisively address housing challenges for renters in low- to moderate-income communities.

“I am incredibly proud of the work of our housing and homelessness teams,” said Amy Arrell, AVP of Behavioral Health Services at Open Sky. “Tenancy Preservation is such an important aspect of our work, and this generous grant will allow us to provide wraparound supports to a wider range of individuals in Central Mass.”

This year’s grantees were selected for their proactive approaches to eviction prevention and housing stabilization, which help individuals and families remain housed, reduce financial stress, and strengthen communities.

About Open Sky Community Services

Open Sky Community Services is a 501(c)3 nonprofit agency based in Worcester that has been helping individuals in our community achieve more than they imagined possible for over 50 years.  The agency provides a wide range of services throughout Central Massachusetts for children, adults and families with mental health challenges, intellectual and developmental disabilities, substance use disorders, brain injury, homelessness, and other complex challenges.  Open Sky Community Services has over 1,300 dedicated employees and nearly 150 programs throughout the region, supporting over 8,000 individuals annually.  Open Sky is committed to equity, belonging, and promotes a trauma-informed, whole-person care culture.  For more information, please visit www.openskycs.org.

About the TD Charitable Foundation

The TD Charitable Foundation is the giving arm of TD Bank U.S. TD Bank US Holding Company and its subsidiaries, including TD Bank, N.A., are collectively known as TD Bank U.S. As the U.S. banking business of The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX and NYSE: TD), a leading North American financial services firm, TD Bank U.S. serves more than 10 million clients and has a network of approximately 1,050 locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Carolinas and Florida.  We support our clients and communities with a full range of retail, small business, commercial banking products and services, and more.  Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $386 million through donations to local nonprofits from Maine to Florida.