National Equity Fund Honored with the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans' Outstanding Corporate Partner Award

CHICAGO, June 3, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Chicago-based National Equity Fund® (NEF) was presented with the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans' Outstanding Corporate Partner Award at NCHV's annual awards banquet last Thursday in Washington, D.C. The award is presented to corporate partners that have played a vital role in reducing the number of homeless veterans by more than 70 percent since 2005. Citi Community Development and The Home Depot Foundation also received the award.

Debbie Burkart, national vice president of supportive housing, accepted the honor on behalf of NEF and its parent company the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).  Their efforts under the Bring Them Homes initiative have produced thousands of affordable housing units for homeless veterans across the country.  Citi Community Development and other funders have been important partners in this plan.

"We're so humbled by this recognition," said Burkart. "We've been actively developing supportive housing for veterans and their families and working with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on policy for several years, and while much has been accomplished, there is so much more we need to do," she added. 

In addition to the partnership award, one of NEF's low income housing tax credit developments, Valley Brook Village, received the Pete Dougherty Award for Excellence in Supportive Housing for Homeless Veterans.  This is a new award named for the former VA director of Homeless Programs and chief advisor to seven secretaries of Veterans Affairs. Located in Lyons, New Jersey, Valley Brook Village was developed by Community Hope, Peabody Properties and Windover Construction. The award came with a $50,000 gift courtesy of the Home Depot Foundation.

The banquet was held at the conclusion of the second day of NCHV's three-day annual conference, which brings together federal and state agencies, social services agencies, affordable housing developers and others dedicated to ending veteran homelessness. Some of this year's speakers included Thomas Perez, secretary of the Department of Labor, Laura Zeilinger, executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, Lisa Pape, national director of homeless programs for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Fred Wacker, director and chief operating officer of The Home Depot Foundation and Kyung "KC" Choi, senior vice president, Citi Salutes program director, Citi Community Development.

About National Equity Fund, Inc.
National Equity Fund, Inc. is a leading syndicator of Low Income Housing Tax Credits. The Chicago-based non-profit is an affiliate of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation and has played an integral role in creating affordable housing options, revitalizing communities and strengthening local economies for more than 25 years. It has invested $10.7 billion in 2,225 LIHTC developments, creating approximately 135,000 affordable homes for low-income families and individuals. For more information, visit www.nefinc.org

About the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a 16-member board of directors – is the resource and technical assistance center for a national network of community-based service providers and local, state and federal agencies that provide emergency and supportive housing, food, health services, job training and placement assistance, legal aid and case management support for hundreds of thousands of homeless veterans each year.

NCHV also serves as the primary liaison between the nation's care providers, Congress and the Executive Branch agencies charged with helping them succeed in their work. NCHV's advocacy has strengthened and increased funding for virtually every federal homeless veteran assistance program in existence today.

About the Local Initiatives Support Corporation
The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) combines corporate, government and philanthropic resources to help nonprofit community development corporations revitalize distressed neighborhoods. Since 1980, LISC has invested $13.8 billion to build or rehab 310,000 affordable homes and apartments and develop 51 million square feet of retail, community and educational space. For more, visit www.lisc.org.

Contact:
Maureen Mullady
National Equity Fund, Inc
312.697.6460             
[email protected]

SOURCE National Equity Fund