Awards Ceremony to Recognize Advocates - 2007 Honorees Include U.S. Senator Jack Reed and Others

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(Cross-post from GD)

Awards Ceremony to Recognize Advocates

2007 Honorees Include U.S. Senator Jack Reed and Others


On October 24, the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (NLCHP) will honor four individuals and one organization that have made a crucial difference in the lives of homeless men, women, and children at their 9th Annual McKinney-Vento Awards.

NLCHP is proud to announce that U.S. Senator Jack Reed will receive the organization's Stewart B. McKinney award. Both Etan Thomas, of the Washington Wizards, and Judge Jay Zainey, a U.S. District Court Judge, will receive the Bruce F. Vento Award. The law firm Covington & Burling LLP will receive the Pro Bono Counsel Award. The organization's Personal Achievement Award will go to Rickie Slaughter, a formerly homeless Vietnam veteran.

"Our honorees this year share a common vision," Maria Foscarinis, NLCHP executive director, said. "They envision a world where our veterans are cared for when they return from war. They envision a world where working people can afford a home. And, they envision a world where victims of a natural disaster receive the help they need to get back on their feet."

The theme of this years event is Envisioning the Future: Reflecting on twenty years of the McKinney-Vento Act. The ceremony will also commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1987, the Act was the first significant federal law addressing homelessness. The Act provided emergency relief, but legislation providing more comprehensive assistance was never passed.

Senator Jack Reed will receive the Stewart B. McKinney Award for his long-time commitment and advocacy on behalf of low-income and homeless Americans. Because of his support of the McKinney-Vento Act, the 20th anniversary year of that landmark legislation is an especially appropriate time to recognize his commitment to ending and preventing homelessness.

Etan Thomas, of the Washington Wizards, and Judge Jay Zainey, U.S. District Court Judge, will both receive the 2007 Bruce F. Vento Award. Mr. Thomas is a relentless advocate for the rights of homeless and low-income men, women, and children and he also raised significant resources for Hurricane Katrina relief. Judge Zainey organized the Homeless Experience Legal Protection (H.E.L.P.) Program, in which attorneys provide legal consultation and notary services at homeless centers in New Orleans. Plans are currently underway to expand the H.E.L.P. Program.

The 2007 Pro Bono Counsel Award goes to Covington & Burling LLP because of the firm's role in securing enactment of the McKinney-Vento Act and for its two decades of commitment to ending homelessness in the U.S.

NLCHP is presenting Rickie Slaughter the 2007 Personal Achievement Award. Mr. Slaughter began using drugs as a soldier during the Vietnam War as a relief for the stress of combat. After returning from the war, he fell into a two-decade struggle with drugs and homelessness. He eventually found his way to New Directions, Inc., a rehabilitation facility specifically targeted to homeless veterans. Mr. Slaughter not only graduated from their program, but became a New Directions staff member and a certified Drug Addictions Recovery Specialist.

The 9th Annual McKinney-Vento Awards ceremony will take place on October 24, 2007 at the Hotel Monaco in Washington, DC. The Hotel Monaco is located at 700 F Street, NW, in Washington, DC. The reception will begin at 6:30 PM.

Major sponsors for the event include: Covington & Burling LLP; Freddie Mac; and Goldman Sachs.

Please click here for more information about the event.

http://www.nlchp.org/news.cfm?id=1