Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity Receives $300,000 Grant from KeyBank Foundation

TACOMA, WASHINGTON, August 19, 2025 /3BL/ — The KeyBank Foundation has announced a grant of $300,000 to Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity to support its Housing Counseling program and Building Hope project, both designed to improve financial stability and homeownership among underserved communities.

Through Tacoma Habitat’s Housing Counseling program, HUD-certified housing counselors work one-on-one helping clients learn skills that prepare them for financial stability, including homeownership. This highly successful program has become an incubator for Tacoma Habitat’s homeownership program, with 32 Housing Counseling clients becoming successful Habitat homeowners since the program began four years ago.

With the Building Hope project, Tacoma Habitat has an unprecedented and time-bound opportunity to purchase up to 80 single-family rental homes being divested by the Pierce County Housing Authority. Homes are purchased, renovated, and then sold to buyers earning up to 80% of the area median income. Because Habitat homes are sold under a restricted-resale model, these homes will remain permanently affordable even if the original buyer should choose to sell.

“At KeyBank, our mission is to help our communities thrive, and that means addressing gaps that might prevent our neighbors from building wealth through home ownership,” said Brian Marlow, KeyBank’s Washington State Market President. “Having stable housing is transformational for generations to come, and we have long been impressed with Habitat for Humanity’s impressive model and proven success.”

“This program helps vulnerable homebuyers achieve the self-confidence and financial knowledge needed to purchase an affordable family home,” said I.V. Reeves, Regional Corporate Responsibility Officer. “KeyBank is proud to support the efforts of Habitat for Humanity.”

“We are deeply grateful to KeyBank for their generous investment in affordable homeownership,” said Sherrana Kildun, CEO of Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity. “This grant strengthens two impactful initiatives—helping families build financial resilience through housing counseling, and expanding access to permanently affordable homes through the Building Hope renovation project. Together with partners like KeyBank, we are changing the trajectory for families in Pierce County for generations to come.”

ABOUT TACOMA / PIERCE COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Since 1985, Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity has been building and renovating affordable homes in Pierce County, helping hundreds of families achieve the dream of homeownership. Households earning up to 80 percent of the area median income partner with Habitat to become homeowners. Each partner household contributes “sweat equity” hours working to build or renovate their own home or the homes of their neighbors. Habitat homebuyers may have access to down payment assistance which helps with affordability, allowing them to achieve long-term financial success and build generational wealth. Since 2022, all homes built or renovated by Tacoma Habitat have been sold under a restricted resale model ensuring the home remains permanently affordable to another income-qualified homebuyer should the original homebuyer choose to sell.

ABOUT KEYCORP 
In 2025, KeyCorp celebrates its bicentennial, marking 200 years of service to clients and communities from Maine to Alaska. To learn more, visit KeyBank Heritage Center. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $185 billion at June 30, 2025. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.

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