Freddie Mac Foundation Announces $800,000 Grant to National Alliance to End Homelessness...

Freddie Mac Foundation Announces $800,000 Grant to National Alliance to End
Homelessness to Support Effort to End Family Homelessness in D.C. Region
The National Alliance to End Homelessness will provide training and technical
assistance to area service providers and public sector agencies in order to
permanently house 1,500 homeless families.

WASHINGTON, April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, April 9 at the National
Alliance to End Homelessness Annual Awards Ceremony in Washington, DC, the
Freddie Mac Foundation announced an $800,000 grant to the Alliance. The
investment enables the Alliance to help nonprofit organizations and public
sector agencies in the District of Columbia, Fairfax County, Va. and
Montgomery County, Md. to implement their ten year plans to end homelessness
and adopt Housing First initiatives for homeless families.
Homelessness is a significant problem in the Washington, DC region. In
January 2007, 11,762 homeless people were counted and over 4,851 were persons
in homeless families. In the District of Columbia, there are 2,040 homeless
people living in families on a given night. In suburban locations the numbers
are smaller, but people in homeless families make up a greater percentage of
the homeless population than individuals do. Approximately 60 percent of
homeless people in Fairfax County and 56 percent of homeless people in
Montgomery County live in families. All three jurisdictions have drafted plans
to end homelessness, including interventions that will help homeless families
access and stay in permanent housing; the next step is implementing the plans.
The grant leverages the extensive expertise of the Alliance to provide
intensive technical assistance and training to help transform each
jurisdiction's response to family homelessness. Housing First, the cornerstone
effort of the region's ten year plans, is an approach that radically changes
how families experience homelessness by minimizing time in shelter and helping
them rapidly access permanent housing and services. "The goal is for
homelessness to be rare and brief," said Nan Roman, President of the National
Alliance to End Homelessness.
"We work to make home a place where children and families thrive. That's
why we're proud to support the Alliance's efforts to end homelessness in our
community. Strong, stable families are the cornerstones of a healthy
community," explained Ralph F. Boyd, Jr., chairman and CEO, Freddie Mac
Foundation. "Announcing this investment at the Alliance's event seemed fitting
since it celebrates the major strides our nation is making in eradicating
homelessness."
"We're extremely grateful to Freddie Mac Foundation for their generous
contribution to ending the tragedy of family homelessness" said Roman. "If it
weren't for their support and dedication to this issue, we would not be able
to provide the assistance necessary to help the region in its first, extensive
effort at ending homelessness for over a thousand families."
The National Alliance to End Homelessness' Annual Awards Ceremony brought
together approximately 400 leaders from Capitol Hill and the Administration,
as well as business leaders, philanthropists, housing and homelessness
experts, and homeless and formerly homeless people. Participants gathered to
honor the achievements of those in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors
who have made significant progress in solving one of the nation's most complex
social issues -- homelessness.
Awards were presented to Richard Harris of Portland Oregon's Central City
Concern for Nonprofit Achievement; Martin Dunn, President of Dunn Development
Corporation in New York City for Private Sector Achievement; and Hennepin
County, Minnesota Commissioner Gail Dorfman for Public Sector Achievement.
Horace Sibley, Chairman of the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta's Regional
Commission on Homelessness, received the prestigious Macy Award for individual
leadership in ending homelessness.
The grant is part of the Freddie Mac Foundation's broader efforts to
stabilize families in crisis and move them to self-sufficiency. Ensuring that
vulnerable children and families have quality housing plus needed supportive
services is key to helping them thrive. A philanthropic leader, the Foundation
has helped better the lives of more than 1.7 million children.
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. http://www.endhomelessness.org
Created by Freddie Mac in 1991, the Freddie Mac Foundation is dedicated to
making home a place where children and families thrive. As the largest
corporate funder in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, Freddie Mac and the
Freddie Mac Foundation have invested more than $321 million in organizations
serving the community. http://www.FreddieMacFoundation.org
SOURCE Freddie Mac Foundation

Lauren Wright, NAEH, +1-202-942-8246, or Shawn Flaherty, Freddie Mac
Foundation, +1-703-903-4384