With a $3.5 million loan from FJC, Life of Hope, a community organization in Central Brooklyn, acquired a property that will be transformed into central hub of its programs serving youth and immigrant families.

“The acquisition of this new building is not just a real estate transaction,” explained Porez Luxama, Founder and Executive Director of Life of Hope.  “It is the beginning of a transformative chapter for our organization and the entire community.”

Life of Hope was founded in 2006 by two brothers who were raised with a strong sense of service for those in need.  In the late nineties they were brought by their mother to the United States and experienced firsthand the challenges faced by their mother as a Haitian immigrant working to establish a new life for her family.  At that time, there were no services available to help her adapt to daily life in the United States. Recognizing the need for immigrant services in NYC, the brothers founded Life of Hope.

Today the organization serves over 65,000 youth and immigrant families with an array of services, while also championing the legacy and contributions of Haitian-Americans ​in the Diaspora.

As one of the few Haitian-serving (and Haitian-led) organizations in New York City, Life of Hope enjoys support from elected officials at federal, state and local levels of government and has secured over $12 million in public funding to build its community center.  FJC’s loan helps the organization solve a timing issue, relative to the flow of funds from public sources and their need to move quickly to acquire the property from the seller, who provided the organization with an aggressive timeline within which to close. FJC was able to move from intake to approval to closing and funding within seven weeks.

The loan was made from FJC’s Agency Loan Fund, a program that allows FJC donors with Donor Advised Fund (DAF) accounts to invest in a pool of nonprofit loans as an impact investment.

“Without a lender with the speed of FJC, Life of Hope could very well have lost the opportunity to develop this site,” said Steven Polivy, Partner at Akerman LLP and pro bono counsel for the project.

The acquisition of the property prompted an outpouring of public statements from the officials that have committed funding to the project, including U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, NYC Pubic Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, -Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, NYC  Council Member Rita Joseph, and NYC Member Mercedes Narcisse.