TOLEDO, Ohio — Sept. 3, 2025 — Amid rising housing costs and limited supply, The Fair Housing Center has received a $100,000 grant from the John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation to sustain its work ensuring fair and equal housing opportunities.
Rising rents, limited housing supply, and ongoing affordability challenges are leaving many families across the region without stable housing. Discrimination further compounds these barriers, unfairly denying people the ability to rent, purchase, finance, or insure a home because of who they are. The Fair Housing Center works to ensure that no one is shut out of housing opportunities due to bias or unlawful practices.
The grant will allow the organization to continue serving the community despite delays in federal funding through the Fair Housing Initiatives Program. It will help maintain staff expertise, sustain enforcement and advocacy efforts, and support strategic changes to strengthen long-term operations.
“The Fair Housing Center plays a vital role in protecting one of the most fundamental rights we have—the right to fair and equal housing,” said Mike Deetsch, executive director of the John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation. “This grant is about sustaining their mission during a time of uncertainty and ensuring that our community continues to benefit from their critical services.”
Since its founding in 1975, The Fair Housing Center has resolved more than 13,500 discrimination complaints and reinvested over $35 million into the community. Its work spans protecting tenants and homeowners from discrimination, advocating for those who face injustice, and educating the public about fair housing laws.
George Thomas, CEO and General Counsel of The Fair Housing Center, said the grant will help the organization meet the urgent needs of today’s housing landscape. “Families are struggling to find safe, affordable housing, and discrimination only makes that struggle harder,” Thomas said. “The John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation’s support allows us to keep fighting for equity and opportunity. Housing is the foundation of stability, health, and economic mobility, and we will not let barriers of bias stand in the way.”
The Fair Housing Center will use the grant to maintain continuity of operations, reduce overhead costs through partnerships, strengthen case management systems, and expand outreach to diversify funding and build resilience for the future.
For more information about The Fair Housing Center and its services, visit toledofhc.org.
For more information about the John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation and its community impact, visit jhefoundation.org.
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About John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation
The John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation proudly funds nonprofits and libraries dedicated to addressing critical aspects of society, such as food security, housing stability, and youth education. Since our inception in 2012, we've had the privilege of making substantial contributions, totaling $3,046,900, to over 85 nonprofit organizations in the Greater Toledo Area and small, rural libraries in low-income communities. These contributions include the most recent grant cycle in 2023.
As a young and growing organization, The Foundation aspires to be a beacon of hope, embodying the values of our founder, John Henry Eldred Jr. His legacy of generosity and community service serves as our guiding light. Through strategic investments and unwavering dedication, we remain committed to uplifting families and communities, ensuring a lasting impact in the lives of those we have the privilege to serve.
For more information, please visit jhefoundation.org/.
About The Fair Housing Center
The Fair Housing Center is a non-profit civil rights agency dedicated to the elimination of housing discrimination, the promotion of housing choice, and the creation of inclusive communities of opportunity. To achieve our mission, The Center engages in education and outreach, housing counseling, advocacy for anti-discriminatory housing policies, research and investigation, and enforcement actions. Founded in 1975, The Fair Housing Center celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year. For more information, please visit toledofhc.org.