Global Innovation Challenge 2024
The Citi Foundation has selected the Polish Center for International Aid for its homelessness prevention program.PCPM will receive USD 500,000 for activities and access to a global educational network.
[Poland] The Citi Foundation has announced the winners of the Global Innovation Challenge 2024 competition, who will receive a total of $25 million to fight homelessness. Among the 50 winners from all over the world was the Polish Center for International Aid.
Housing insecurity affects communities around the world, with the UN estimating that 1.6 billion people worldwide lack adequate housing and basic services.
In Poland, the problem of homelessness affects about 31 thousand people. The war in Ukraine has significantly exacerbated this problem, especially among refugees, who often face additional difficulties. The language barrier and lack of knowledge of the support system in Poland make it difficult for them to access help. Single mothers with children, the elderly and people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable. Refugee homelessness is a complex challenge that requires comprehensive solutions, such as providing temporary shelter, access to healthcare, psychological support, and social integration assistance.
"Since the launch of the inaugural Global Innovation Challenge in 2023, we have been observing how community-based solutions increase the effectiveness of operations," said Brandee McHale, President of the Citi Foundation and Head of Citi Community Investing & Development. " We call this grant support 'catalytic' because of the multiplier effect it can have on low-income communities. Any social organization will not only have a direct impact on the lives of people currently in crisis but will also create models that can be replicated in other communities around the world in the future.
"We need effective programs to help solve the problem of homelessness. The number of people who may lose their homes and sense of security because of natural disasters, migration and many other factors is growing dramatically – says Elżbieta Czetwertyńska, Citi Country Officer in Poland. – That is why it is so important to me that a humanitarian organization from Polish is among the winners of the second edition of the Global Innovation Challenge. The Polish Center for International Aid will receive significant financial support for a twoyear program to counteract homelessness among refugees.
The activities of the Polish Center for International Aid are focused on counteracting homelessness among refugees from Ukraine after arriving in Polish.
"We are extremely proud to be one of 50 organizations in the world to be the winners of the Citi Global Innovation Challenge. Thanks to this grant, we will be able to provide comprehensive support to newly arriving refugees from Ukraine who are at risk of homelessness. It includes counselling, the work of streetworkers and access to the necessary medical and psychological care," says Dr. Wojciech Wilk, President of the Polish Center for International Aid.
Grant-funded programs will be implemented over the next two years, and beneficiaries will have access to an educational community supported by IDEO.org, a non-profit organization dedicated to designing products and services in the social impact sector. Thanks to the educational community, selected social organizations will be able to share their experiences and best practices.
For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com/challenge..To track the impact of an organization, follow #InnovationChallenge on social media.
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