NHS Honors Chicago Community Leaders for Neighborhood Development

Chicago Partners - Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Real Estate Law Firm Pierce & Associates and Community Development Professional Jim Capraro - Receive Awards for Neighborhood Advocacy

CHICAGO, March 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Over 700 corporate, foundation, government and community partners of Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago (NHS) will attend NHS' 36th Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday, March 24, at Union Station's Great Hall. Hosted by NBC5-TV's Nesita Kwan, the event will feature remarks from Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and NHS Executive Director Ed Jacob.  The dinner celebrates outstanding partners and community leaders impacting and strengthening Chicago-area neighborhoods.  

Illinois' top legal advocate, Madigan will receive NHS' 2011 Community Advocate Award honoring her work on initiating and drafting key legislation aimed at protecting homeowners from predatory lending and mortgage fraud. Longtime Chicago homeowner William Jones, himself the unknowing victim of a mortgage scam, will present Madigan with her award.  "I'm thankful that Ms. Madigan and her office are cracking down on loan scammers who prey on seniors and other unsuspecting people," said Jones, who nearly lost his home to foreclosure.  He recently received a loan modification through the efforts of the NHS Chicago Lawn/Gage Park office.  

One of the nation's leading nonprofit organizations in housing and foreclosure prevention, NHS of Chicago will honor Jim Capraro with the Gale Cincotta Community Visionary Award. A nationally known expert on neighborhoods and economic development, Capraro worked tirelessly to improve the Chicago Lawn and Gage Park communities through his 35-year tenure as Executive Director of the Greater Southwest Development Corporation.  

Denis Pierce, principal of Pierce & Associates, P.C., a real estate law firm, will be honored with NHS' Corporate Leadership Award for harnessing the power of philanthropy to improve access to homeowners facing foreclosure. Pierce also heads the Pierce Family Foundation where thousands have benefited from his "give back" philosophy to fund housing-related issues and services for the disadvantages.  

What: NHS' 36th Annual Awards Dinner, "Building, Growing, Leading"

Who: Awardees Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Denis Pierce, principal, Pierce & Associates, P.C., and Greater Southwest Development Corp. Founder Jim Capraro; Homeowner William Jones; NHS Executive Director Ed Jacob

When: Thursday, March 24, 2011; reception, 4:30; dinner program, 6-7:30 p.m.

Where: Union Station, Great Hall, 500 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago 60611

Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago is a nonprofit housing, counseling, and lending organization committed to offering individuals in Chicago and Elgin affordable resources so they can buy, fix, and keep their homes. For more information, visit www.nhschicago.org.  Dinner tickets still available. Call Pat Washington, 773-329-4136.

SOURCE Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago