Business Name: Beyond90, Inc.
First Name: Barton & Lori (Lori will do the interview)
Last Name: Chelf
Website: Beyond90.org
Address: PO Box 47773
City: Jacksonville
State: FL
Zip: 32247
About Us : Beyond90 is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that bridges the gap to self-sufficiency for refugees by providing a safe living environment and mentoring in life skill empowerment. The combination of housing and empowerment mentoring provides refugees an extended time period to acquire the necessary skills to be independent enough to work, live and integrate into American society.
We are working to acquire an apartment complex to solely house refugees. An apartment complex will help small to medium sized families, but there is also a real need to house larger families affordably. The founders are currently purchasing homes and renting to large refugee families at below market rent rates. We are also looking for housing partners who would consider “renting with purpose” and rent to refugees. A partner would purchase and make ready the house to rent to a refugee family. Beyond90 would manage the property for them and mentor the refugee tenants.
The refugees we work with are fully vetted by the US government and approved for resettled in the Jacksonville area. We have worked with over 40 families from 11 different countries in their journey toward self-sufficiency. We are in the beginning stages of housing. We currently share a house with a Congolese family of 8 and we are in the midst of renovating another 4/2 house to rent to another large refugee family. While we support these larger families we are also looking for opportunities to secure or partner with someone for a refugee apartment complex.
When refugees come to the US they are resettled here by agencies like World Relief and Lutheran Social Services. They are provided funds by the government for housing for only 90 days. At day 91 they are expected to be financially self-sufficient, paying their own rent, utilities etc. We focus our efforts after the 90 day period because 90 days is not enough time to become fully self-sufficient and sometimes not even enough time to become financially self-sufficient.