The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation Honors College Scholarship Recipients
New Orleans, LA (PRWEB) August 19, 2014 -- Executives of The Michaels Organization, along with the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) Executive Director Gregg Fortner and LaVerne Saulny of Senator Mary Landrieu’s office, were among those gathered today to celebrate the achievements of six residents of The Estates community who have been awarded college scholarships from The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation. Among the recipients are several “first in their families” to attend college, an honor roll student pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, and an enterprising young woman with her sights set on opening her own restaurant.
The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation is a non-profit affiliate of The Michaels Development Company and Interstate Realty Management, both private sector partners with HANO on the development and management of The Estates.
The Foundation awarded more than $17,000 in educational grants to local students in New Orleans for the 2014-2015 academic year.
“The idea of ‘giving back’ has been deeply embedded in our corporate culture by our founder, Michael J. Levitt,” said Ava Goldman, President of Michaels Development Company, who acted as master of ceremonies at the scholarship recognition ceremony held at Delgado Community College. “Just as we believe in the power of quality, affordable housing to transform communities, we also believe in the power of education to transform individual lives,” Goldman said. “We are proud to be an organization that supports both.”
The first scholarship program of its kind in the affordable housing industry, The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation has been helping many high achieving but often economically disadvantaged students pursue their dreams of higher education for more than two decades. The grants can be used by recipients to pay tuition costs at any accredited college, university, or vocational training program in the country, and students can reapply for grants each year of their education.
“The staff and residents of the Housing Authority of New Orleans sincerely congratulate the scholarship award recipients on such an outstanding academic achievement. HANO will continue to work with The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation and other endowments to assist the future leaders of tomorrow in pursuing their dreams of higher education, while still providing affordable housing for low to moderate income residents,” HANO Executive Director Gregg Fortner said.
Scholarship students from Michaels’ New Orleans communities benefit from a special gift made to the Foundation by Torti Gallas and Partners, a nationally renowned architecture firm that served as the master planner for the redevelopment of The Estates, a multi-phase, 425-unit HOPE VI community located in the Ninth Ward neighborhood of New Orleans. In 2012, Torti donated $38,000 to the educational foundation, earmarked for future Estates resident scholars.
About The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation:
The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation is a non-profit affiliate of The Michaels Organization that administers educational scholarship programs open to residents of all affordable and military housing communities owned or managed by companies of The Michaels Organization. Now in its 24th year, The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation has endowed more than $3.5 million in scholarships benefitting more than 1,800 students since 1991. The Michaels Organization’s CEO, Michael Levitt, and his wife Patricia Levitt match all private contributions to the foundation two-for-one.
About The Michaels Organization:
Michaels Development Company and Interstate Realty Management are part of The Michaels Organization, a family of integrated but independent companies dedicated to excellence in affordable, mixed-finance, military and student housing. Serving more than 100,000 residents in 360 communities across 34 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and with a development portfolio valued in excess of $3.5 billion, The Michaels Organization is a national leader in the residential real estate industry, with full service capabilities in development, property and asset management, construction, mortgage finance, and tax credit syndication.
Laura Zaner, The Michaels Organization, http://www.TheMichaelsOrg.com, +1 (856) 988-5983, [email protected]
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