At the annual Wells Fargo Volunteer Day for CHSA at Savannah Gardens on September 23, Kristina Christy, Senior Community Impact and Sustainability Specialist for Wells Fargo, presented a check for $100,000 to Community Housing Services Agency (CHSA) to support its mission to create and retain affordable homes for households with modest incomes. 

This donation was especially meaningful to Anita Smith-Dixon, a former mortgage officer for Wells Fargo who is now the Executive Director of CHSA. “I am elated to receive such a significant grant from Wells Fargo,” she says. “This donation will help CHSA grow its organizational capacity to finance even more affordable homes.”

The check presentation and volunteer activity are part of a Wells Fargo initiative called Welcome Home, whereby Wells Fargo employees across the country are working with local charities to make an impact in the company foundation’s funding priority, housing affordability. Throughout the month of September, Wells Fargo employees will participate in volunteer events like this one in Savannah. 

One of the lead volunteers for this year’s Welcome Home project with CHSA is Sheri Butler. In addition to her role as a District Branch Network Senior Manager for the Savannah Coastal District at Wells Fargo, Ms. Butler serves on the board of directors for CHSA. ”At Wells Fargo, we believe everyone deserves an opportunity to have a healthy, affordable, and sustainable place to call home,” noted Ms. Butler. “Our employees look forward to and embrace every opportunity to support CHSA through their volunteer work.” 

Ms. Butler also served as the Rental Housing Committee Chair for the Housing Savannah Task Force which created the Housing Savannah Action Plan – a roadmap for the creation and retention of housing units to benefit 15,000 households by 2032. CHSA plays a key role in implementing the recommendations of the task force and has already completed 71% of the housing goals for 2023. 

CHSA is the administrator of the Savannah Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF). The Savannah Affordable Housing Fund was established by the City of Savannah in 2012 to provide construction financing, home purchase assistance, and minor housing/volunteer repair assistance. CHSA handles all aspects of the day-to-day operations of the SAHF, leveraging funds provided by government, private, and non-profit organizations to create, renovate, and restore affordable housing for households with modest incomes in the City of Savannah. CHSA also receives and distributes financial investments for affordable housing throughout Chatham County.

When the new owner of a Savannah Gardens home goes to closing with an affordable mortgage, he or she can thank Wells Fargo in Savannah. The attractive landscaping and pristine painted walls throughout were provided by volunteers.

In 2022, CHSA created 470 housing units for 697 people. Eighty-one percent of development contracts were offered to minority – owned businesses for construction in 2022. Further, all of the housing created by CHSA supports households with low to moderate incomes. These totals are roughly double the housing created by CHSA in 2020, thanks to increased funding from the City of Savannah.

“Wells Fargo is proud to continue our support for CHSA and the work they are doing to address affordable housing in Savannah,” added Christy. “We have provided more than $2 million in funding to charity partners who will engage our employees in housing-related community events through our Welcome Home efforts. Wells Fargo has committed significant philanthropic resources to develop solutions that increase the supply of affordable homes and support local families in realizing the dream of homeownership and opportunities for building wealth.”