Our Beginning

ABA Housing Partners Foundation, formerly the philanthropic arm of America's Community Bankers, began with a fundraising project to support a soup kitchen in Washington, D.C. in 1991. The Foundation has been enriching the communities that have hosted our annual conventions for over 20 years. Throughout that time, the Foundation has honed its mission to promote and provide affordable housing in our local communities across the country.

Partnership with Habitat for Humanity, International

In 2001, the Housing Partners Foundation formed a partnership with Habitat for Humanity International that perfectly reflects the roots of community banking – the American dream of home ownership. That partnership enables the Foundation to partner with Habitat for Humanity International and its local affiliates to fully sponsor and help build a Habitat home in our convention cities. The Foundation has fully funded and helped construct Habitat Houses in New Orleans, San Francisco, Las Vegas, San Diego, Washington, D.C., Orlando, Chicago, Boston and San Antonio.

Bankers Helping Bankers

In response to the emergency created by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Foundation formed the Bankers-Helping-Bankers program. It was in response to concerns by members who wanting to know what they could do to assist their industry colleagues on the Gulf Coast. 

The Foundation launched the Bankers-Helping-Bankers program as a clearinghouse for donations designated for bank employees in the Gulf Coast Region. America's Community Bankers provided $25,000 in "seed money," and then the members began to contribute. Bank presidents in the Gulf Coast Region recommend individual employees to the Foundation for a grant of up to $1,000 to defray disaster expenses such as home repair, evacuation transportation expenses, food and shelter. By mid-February 2006, the Foundation had distributed over $115,000 to 300 bank employees in need. 

New Orleans Habitat for Humanity Affiliate

After the Housing Partners Foundation officially partnered with Habitat for Humanity, International in 2001, we built our first fully sponsored house in New Orleans. That house was damaged by the floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina that also damaged or destroyed 81 Habitat homes in the New Orleans region. The New Orleans Habitat affiliate itself lost its office space, records, copiers, tools, and more – everything they needed to jumpstart the rebuilding process.

In response to member requests to help, the Foundation set up the "New Orleans Habitat for Humanity" fund with $25,000. Member banks contributed funds designated specifically to rebuild the New Orleans Habitat Affiliate so it could take on the mammoth construction projects facing the city. On January 23, 2006, Housing Partners Foundation Board Member Cindy Nolan presented a check to the New Orleans Habitat Affiliate for over $58,000 from our members to start the process of rebuilding.

The ABA Housing Partners Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) organization, and all contributions to the Foundation are tax deductable in their entirety.