In a housing emergency, free local help is available 24/7 — dial 211.
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Family Foreclosure FoundationResource Hub for Families
FAQ · Top 20 Questions

Quick answers. Plain language.

If you don't see your question here, email info@familyforeclosurefoundation.org or open the chat at the bottom-right of any page. We respond within 24–48 business hours.

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For Families For Donors For Partners Legal · Tax · Privacy
For Families

Questions from people who need help

Q1 · Does FFF really cost nothing?

Yes. Free. Forever. No exceptions. We charge families no fees and no application costs. Where legal representation is involved, it is contingency-based — attorney fees are drawn from funds recovered, never paid by the family. We are a 501(c)(3) applicant nonprofit funded by sponsors, foundations, and partners — not by the families we serve. If anyone tells you FFF charges families, that is not us.

Q2 · How long ago is "too long ago" for FFF to help?

There is no time limit. Foreclosure 6 months ago, 6 years ago, 30 years ago — all qualify. Many of the recovery programs we help with (lost 401(k)s, unclaimed property, court-held funds) have no statute of limitation on the family's right to claim.

Q3 · I'm not the one who lost the home — my parent / spouse / sibling did. Can FFF help me?

Yes — if you are an heir, executor, personal representative, or named beneficiary, FFF helps you navigate recovery on behalf of the deceased family member's estate. We coordinate with probate when needed and work with your attorney (or refer you to free legal aid).

Q4 · What states does FFF serve?

We serve families anywhere in the country. Any state, any county, any timeline. Our coordinator team handles intake nationally. Recovery procedures vary state-by-state, and we apply per-state filing guides as we go.

Q5 · Will I have to fill out a long form?

No. The intake chat asks 6 short questions (name, state, year of foreclosure, contact info). It takes about 3 minutes. You can also email or call us instead — whatever feels easiest.

Q6 · How fast does FFF respond after I apply?

24–48 business hours, Monday–Friday. A real coordinator (not an automated message) reviews your situation and calls or emails you in your preferred channel.

Q7 · What if I'm in crisis right now?

In a housing emergency, free local help is available 24/7 — dial 211 for housing, food, or emergency support. It is listed at the top of every page on our site. FFF responds within 24–48 hours during business days — for tonight's emergency, please use 211.

For Donors

Questions from people who want to give

Q8 · Are donations tax-deductible?

FFF has filed for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status with the IRS. Once the IRS Determination Letter is received, all donations made from the date of incorporation forward will be retroactively tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Receipts are issued automatically.

Q9 · How do I sponsor a specific family vs. donate generally?

Visit our flagship Sponsor a Family page to choose a specific approved family from the carousel. To give to the general fund instead, visit our donate page and pick any tier or one-time amount.

Q10 · What channels can I use to donate?

Multiple. Zeffy (0% fees · 100% to mission), Stripe (card · Apple Pay · Google Pay · Cash App Pay), PayPal Business (includes Venmo), ACH/wire directly to Harbor Bank, mailed check, or donor-advised fund. See /donate for all channels.

Q11 · Can I cancel a recurring sponsorship?

Yes — anytime. Whichever channel you sponsored through (Stripe, Zeffy, PayPal) lets you cancel directly. We never make cancellation hard. The relationship is sponsor-led.

Q12 · Will the family I sponsor know my real name?

Only if you choose to disclose it. The default is anonymous on all family-facing communication. You can opt-in to name attribution at any time. The family receives FFF-mediated updates — they never get your direct contact info unless both you and they opt-in.

Q13 · How is my donation actually used?

100% of program funds go to family service programs (legal, housing, financial recovery, reclaiming lost funds and benefits). Year-One Executive Director salary is $0 — the Executive Director donates this time. Software developed for FFF is licensed royalty-free to the foundation. Operational expenses (banking fees, donation-platform fees, web hosting) are minimized through nonprofit pricing tiers we actively pursue.

For Partners

Questions from referrers, agencies, corporations

Q14 · I'm a 211 operator / social worker / clergy / attorney. How do I refer a family?

See our referral quick-reference page. Three options: send the family to familyforeclosurefoundation.org/apply, email info@familyforeclosurefoundation.org, or call (832) 791-4709. We respond within 24–48 business hours.

Q15 · We're a corporation interested in CSR partnership. Where do we start?

Email info@familyforeclosurefoundation.org with the subject "Corporate Sponsorship Inquiry." We respond with our partnership tier menu and can build a custom CSR program (sponsor multiple families · co-branded impact reports · employee-engagement campaigns).

Q16 · We're a foundation considering a grant. What documentation do you have ready?

EIN, IRS Form 1023 filing receipt, Certificate of Incorporation, Board Resolution authorizing applications, leadership and governance information, and an organizational capacity statement — all available within 24 hours of your request. Email info@familyforeclosurefoundation.org with the funder name and we'll prepare a tailored packet.