And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: Piercing Eyes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> forwarded for informational purposes only.. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tue, 11 May 1999 10:27:45 EDT Subject: Fannie Mae Foundation Honors Walking Shield American... Fannie Mae Foundation Honors Walking Shield American Indian Society With National 'Maxwell Awards of Excellence' For Affordable Housing Efforts; Nonprofit to be Honored for 'Operation Walking Shield' Project at a Capitol Hill Ceremony in Washington, D.C. and Receive $35,000 Grant WASHINGTON, May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fannie Mae Foundation today announced the Walking Shield American Indian Society as a winner of the national Maxwell Awards of Excellence. The nonprofit will be awarded a $35,000 grant and honored during a Capitol Hill ceremony in Washington. "We are pleased to be honored by the Fannie Mae Foundation for our 'Operation Walking Shield' project and our commitment to community revitalization on our nation's Indian reservations," said Phil Stevens, president and CEO of the Walking Shield American Indian Society. "The Maxwell Awards serve as an incentive for recognition and funding to further our mission in the affordable housing industry." The Maxwell Awards of Excellence Program for the Production of Low-Income Housing (Maxwell Awards) seeks to identify, promote and reward the outstanding work of nonprofit organizations that develop and maintain affordable housing in urban neighborhoods, metropolitan communities, small cities and rural areas. The program also is designed to encourage more corporations and foundations to become funding or investment partners in community development endeavors. "The Walking Shield American Indian Society has made an invaluable contribution to the revitalization of our nation's Indian reservations," said Ann Marie Wheelock, president and CEO of the Fannie Mae Foundation. "We are pleased to honor the Walking Shield American Indian Society's work, which embodies the spirit of the Maxwell Awards. Their 'Operation Walking Shield' project should serve as a model for other community development efforts." The Walking Shield American Indian Society's "Operation Walking Shield" project will, over a five-year period, move 463 excess military houses from the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota and 200 units from Molstrom Air Force Base in Montana to 13 American Indian reservations in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana. The three-bedroom duplex homes will be winterized, renovated, and rented to more than 3,000 families who are now either homeless or living in deplorable housing conditions. The Walking Shield American Indian Society, founded in 1987, was formed to improve the quality of life for American Indians. It serves an estimated 360,000 inhabitants of 23 rural reservations in South and North Dakota. The Fannie Mae Foundation is making Maxwell Awards grants of $35,000 each to the Walking Shield American Indian Society and five additional nonprofit organizations recommended by an independent advisory committee as having produced the best examples of low-income housing projects during the 12-month eligibility period. In addition, 14 finalists receive grants of $7,500 each and 35 organizations are recognized as honorable mentions at $2,000 each. In total, the Fannie Mae Foundation is funding 55 grants totaling $385,000 for this year's Maxwell Awards program. One hundred and nine organizations from across the country submitted applications for projects that were placed into service between July 1, 1997 and June 30, 1998. Applications for homeownership, rental and special needs housing projects were evaluated on the basis of: * creativity in addressing local housing needs and problems; * quality of design; * originality and innovation in financing; * affordability; and * success in implementing the project. The Fannie Mae Foundation will honor the six awardees at a Capitol Hill awards ceremony and reception May 25th. The Fannie Mae Foundation introduced the Maxwell Awards (originally named the Awards of Excellence Program for the Production of Low-Income Housing and renamed in tribute to former Fannie Mae Chairman and CEO David O. Maxwell for his commitment to the housing needs of low-income people) in 1988. The Fannie Mae Foundation, a private nonprofit organization solely funded by Fannie Mae, transforms communities through innovative partnerships and initiatives that revitalize neighborhoods and create affordable homeownership and housing opportunities across America. The Foundation is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has regional offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Pasadena and Philadelphia. SOURCE Fannie Mae Foundation 05/11/99 10:26 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com Reprinted under the fair use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine of international copyright law. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
