NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The NHP Foundation (NHPF), a national not-for-profit leader in providing quality affordable housing for low to middle income Americans in need, today announced that its 4th Symposium event, ""Growing Up & Out of Poverty: Why Housing Matters" held virtually October 14th successfully drew 91 corporate sponsors and over 400 attendees during a year when Covid-19 prevented most live events.
This year's bi-partisan event honored the late Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Senator Todd Young (R-IN) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and featured "guest appearances" from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Washington Congresswoman Suzan DelBene all speaking on the importance of increasing the nation's affordable housing.
The digital Symposium also debuted results from a survey conducted jointly by NHPF and Enterprise Community Partners focusing on students and educators dealing with housing challenges both before and during the pandemic. This work will result in a white paper which will be published in early 2021.
The presentation was followed by a Conversation featuring NBA champion and philanthropist Derek Anderson, front line ER doctor, Mary Badillo, Robin Hood Foundation CEO Wes Moore and author, "From Homeless to Harvard," Liz Murray, all examples of successfully "growing up and out of poverty."
"Understanding the root causes of poverty provides a strong foundation for making moves within our industry to help mitigate those causes," said NHPF President & CEO, Richard Burns. "We have a long way to go, but we are starting with education, hearing experts from housing, social justice, and importantly education, which we all know can be a make or break factor in someone's success."
The event also included the premiere of NHPF's first documentary, a short film by De'Von Brown of Brown MultiMedia, entitled "Unconventional Affordable Housing: Yes! In my Backyard" exploring Baltimore's affordable housing trajectory from redlining to new single family housing in areas of opportunity.
"Increasing opportunities for lower and middle income families is our byword," added Ken White, Executive Director of NHPF's resident services subsidiary, Operation Pathways, "Our symposia raise much-needed funds for onsite resident services, which all participants in the event agree are key to raising families up and out of poverty."
About The NHP Foundation
Headquartered in New York City with offices in Washington, DC, and Chicago, IL, The NHP Foundation (NHPF) was launched on January 30, 1989, as a publicly supported 501(c)(3) not-for-profit real estate corporation. NHPF is dedicated to preserving and creating sustainable, service-enriched multifamily housing, and scattered-site communities that are both affordable to low and moderate income families and seniors, and beneficial to their communities. Through Family-Centered Coaching, NHPF's subsidiary Operation Pathways engages with, and assists, families experiencing poverty and other hardship, to problem-solve together. Through partnerships with major financial institutions, the public sector, faith-based initiatives, and other not-for-profit organizations, NHPF has 57 properties, including 9,664 units, in 15 states and the District of Columbia. For more information, please visit http://www.nhpfoundation.org.
SOURCE NHP Foundation
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