Public, Private, and Nonprofit Efforts to End Homelessness Honored at Kennedy Center

Date: 17 Apr 2007

Author: National Alliance to End Homelessness

Files:

Contact:NellMcGarity;
202-942-8246; nmcgarity@naeh.org

Freddie Mac, Governor Jennifer Granholm, and the Hamilton Family Center Recognized

WHAT: The National Alliance to End Homelessness will honor Freddie Mac, Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, and San Francisco’s Hamilton Family Center for their efforts to end homelessness. Hosted by NBC’s Andrea Mitchell, this annual ceremony brings together leaders of the private, public, and nonprofit sectors in recognition of their achievements to end one of the nation’s most complex social issues.

WHEN: Thursday, April 26, 2007
7:30 to 8:45 p.m. Followed by a reception.

WHERE: The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, D.C.
Foggy Bottom Metro (Orange and Blue Lines)

WHO: The Honorable Jennifer Granholm, Governor, Michigan
Salvador Menjivar, Executive Director, Hamilton Family Center, San Francisco, California
Richard Syron, Chairman and CEO, Freddie Mac, McLean, Virginia

RSVP: Please RSVP to Nell McGarity at nmcgarity@naeh.org or (202)-492-8246.

BACKGROUND:
Freddie Mac has played a leading role in the creation of a 10-year plan to end homelessness in Fairfax County, where it is headquartered. Its engagement helped bring together various stakeholders to address the needs of the county’s approximately 2,000 homeless people. Its annual Hoops for the Homeless event has increased awareness of the issue of homelessness, and has raised over $3.2 million to benefit families in the Washington, D.C. region. Freddie Mac has also worked in the Gulf region with nonprofit partners to help thousands of families left homeless by Hurricane Katrina, and has provided mortgage relief and other services to thousands more affected by the storms.

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, through Michigan’s Campaign to End Homelessness, has brought together private, public, and nonprofit stakeholders to create plans to end homelessness for the over 50,000 homeless people living in communities throughout Michigan. Guided by the vision that housing is a right for all, the 60 community plans consist of strategies that focus on housing assistance, models for collaboration among service providers, and special programs that target underserved populations. Governor Granholm’s leadership in Michigan’s Campaign to End Homelessness serves as a model of the executive commitment necessary to bring local planning processes together and create statewide solutions to homelessness.

The Hamilton Family Center is one of the largest providers of housing options, eviction prevention assistance, shelter, and support services for homeless families in San Francisco. Established in 1985, the organization now operates six programs and an interactive website for homeless and low-income families. Hamilton Family Center is transforming itself from an organization focused on sheltering homeless families to one that ends homelessness for families, and in the process is also causing a change in the way the City of San Francisco is approaching the issue. First Avenues: Housing Solutions for Families, launched on July 1, 2006, was the first Housing First for families program in San Francisco, focusing on rapidly re-housing families into permanent homes.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonpartisan, mission-driven organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States. The Alliance is a leading voice on the issue of homelessness. The Alliance analyzes policy and develops pragmatic, cost-effective policy solutions. We work collaboratively with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to build state and local capacity, leading to stronger programs and policies that help homeless individuals and families make positive changes in their lives. We provide data and research to policymakers and elected officials in order to inform policy debates and educate the public and opinion leaders nationwide.