U-turn joins a cohort of 50 community organizations around the world as a Citi Foundation 2024 Global Innovation Challenge recipient working to address homelessness.
Founded in 1997, U-turn’s programmes and activities are aimed at poverty relief and skills development to homeless people. Their unique four-phase model has been refined over the years and more than 90% of U-turn graduates remain sober, employed and housed long-term.
The Citi Foundation’s 2024 Global Innovation Challenge provides a collective $25 million in catalytic funding to support community organizations around the world working in novel ways to address homelessness.
“We are incredibly honoured to receive this prestigious Global Innovation Challenge Grant from Citi Foundation. This recognition not only acknowledges the impact of the Mi-change Voucher, but also highlights the global importance of innovative, community-driven solutions to homelessness. Our unique voucher earning system empowers individuals living on the streets by providing access to critical services such as food, clothing, ablution facilities, and safe sleeping spaces, all while restoring dignity and creating pathways to sustainable change,” said Jean-Ray Knighton Fitt, U-turn’s CEO.
“This grant offers us an extraordinary opportunity to further expand the Mi-change Voucher through digitization, ensuring that more individuals experiencing homelessness can take their first steps towards reintegration into society. The global recognition this grant represents reinforces our belief in the power of collaborative, compassionate solutions, and we are thrilled to work with the support of Citi Foundation to bring hope and practical support to those who need it most.”
“Since launching the inaugural Global Innovation Challenge in early 2023, we’ve continued to see how community-based solutions are poised to accelerate impact on the ground,” said Brandee McHale, President of the Citi Foundation and Head of Citi Community Investing & Development.
“We call this grant support ‘catalytic’ given the multiplier effect it can have on low-income communities. Each organization will not only directly impact the lives of people in crisis today, but also create models that can be replicated in other communities around the world tomorrow.”
As a grantee, U-turn will also have access to a learning community and global network of community organizations working to address this pressing issue. For more information on the Citi Foundation’s Global Innovation Challenge, please visit citifoundation.com/challenge