Foundation Highlights
2002 Archives

Wednesday's Child DC Turns 10

For the past decade, the Freddie Mac Foundation has sponsored Wednesday's Child in Washington, DC, a weekly televised feature on NBC4 that has been helping find homes for the region's hardest to place foster children. More than 200 have been adopted in the DC area to date. To mark the occasion, the Foundation is working to draw more attention to the issue throughout the year, including with this ad[PDF 2.2M] running in The Washington Post. Details about Wednesday's Child.

National Adoption Day a Success!

For more than 1400 foster children across the nation, the dream of a permanent family of their own became a reality on November 23, National Adoption Day — sponsored by the Freddie Mac Foundation. The event, founded by the LA-based Alliance for Children's Rights, finalized adoptions in 34 jurisdictions nationwide. Find out more about National Adoption Day.

Foundation Receives Adoption Award

The Freddie Mac Foundation is a recipient of this year's Adoption Excellence Award from the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The Foundation was recognized in particular for its Wednesday's Child program, which features on the local news children in foster care who are waiting to be adopted. »More Information.

Foundation Teams with Hallmark Channel

The Freddie Mac Foundation recently joined the Hallmark Channel in hosting Art Fair 2002: Unmasking the Wonders of Children. The event helped raise awareness about adoption and foster parenting in Los Angeles as well as funds to support Hollygrove Children & Family Services' work with foster children. »More Information.

Congress Recognizes "Angels"

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, along with the Freddie Mac Foundation, recently honored more than 270 "angels" from across the United States, selected by Members of the Congress, for their outstanding commitment to promoting adoption and making a difference in the lives of children. »More Information.

The Circus Comes to Town

Starting in September, the Freddie Mac Foundation will take 1,000 Washington, DC region foster children and their foster families to the Big Apple Circus, New York's original one-ring, not-for-profit circus, through the beginning of October. Similarly, foster children in New York and Atlanta will be treated to the big top as part of the Foundation's efforts to open doors of hope and opportunity for children. Learn more about the Foundation's work with foster children. »More Information.

Playhouse Build Benefits Children

Freddie Mac employee volunteers designed and built a children's playhouse to help Dallas-area abused and neglected children. The playhouse is being raffled off, with proceeds benefitting the Dallas Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) organization, a Freddie Mac Foundation grantee. »More Information.

College-Bound Foster Youths Honored

The Freddie Mac Foundation recently sponsored a Capitol Hill congressional briefing and reception recognizing the Orphan Foundation of America's 2002 college scholarship recipients. The 11 recipients are students who have “aged out” of the foster care system, having never been adopted. While in Washington, D.C., they spent a week sharing their foster care experiences with their congressional representatives, administration officials and business leaders. »More Information.

Recent Grants Strengthen Area Families

In its most recent giving, the Freddie Mac Foundation awarded nearly $4 million in grants to organizations whose innovative programs help strengthen and revitalize communities in the Washington, DC area and in cities of Freddie Mac's regional offices. A total of 100 grants were given to area organizations that share the Foundation's mission to open doors of hope and opportunity for children and their families. »More Information.

STARS in the Arts

The Foundation supported Prevent Child Abuse Georgia's STARS in the Arts fundraiser. This event raises money to support child abuse prevention by auctioning art created by local celebrities, art patrons and business leaders. »More Information.

"Oscar" Works on Behalf of Children

Promoting adoption and child welfare efforts, the Freddie Mac Foundation sponsored the Oscar Night America 2002 Gala in Washington, DC. This was one of the sanctioned celebrations of the Academy Awards that raised funds for First Star Initiative for Children and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, the non-partisan non-profit that educates policymakers about foster care and adoption issues. »More Information.

Foundation Participates in Town Hall

The Foundation's Cheryl Clarke participated in a Town Hall series moderated by Tipper Gore for the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign, entitled “Healing the American Spirit.” The Town Hall focused on the mental and emotional toll September 11 had on the Washington, D.C. community. Over the past decade, the Freddie Mac Foundation has invested in many programs that provide comprehensive services addressing the mental health of parents as a means to create stronger families. »More Information

Neighborhood Renewal Supports Children

The Foundation gave $70,000 to provide after-school and computer education opportunities in Washington, DC’s Anacostia neighborhood. These grants are part of Bank of America’s recently announced America-Block by Block® program, a new five-year initiative to provide valuable financial and community development resources to select cities nationwide. »More Information.

Televised Parenting Campaign Concludes

The Freddie Mac Foundation and DC-based W*USA9 teamed up during April to provide parents with concrete, constructive parenting tips and access to parenting resources. The Stronger Families...Stronger Communities campaign was a response to the growing number of abuse and neglect cases nationally. A key to prevention is helping all parents be the best parents they can be. »More Information.

Record Giving Benefits Communities

The Freddie Mac Foundation concluded its 10th year of giving by awarding $3 million in fourth quarter grants to programs helping children and families nationwide. »More Information.

New Playground for Dallas Children

Congressman Martin Frost was on hand as the Freddie Mac Foundation awarded $25,000 to Louise Wolff Kahn Elementary School in Dallas to build the second phase of the school’s playground. Vandals had destroyed it, just prior to its dedication. Moved to action by the sad story, Freddie Mac employees encouraged the Foundation to help out. More Information.

Donations for Children

Freddie Mac employees have donated thousands of gifts to the Freddie Mac Foundation's Child and Adolescent Protection Center at Children’s Hospital. Serving more than 2,000 children a year, the facility provides a place for abused and neglected children to be comforted and feel safe. More CAP-Center Information.

Children’s Issues Top Georgia Agenda

Foundation funding supported Child Welfare Advocacy Forum in Atlanta. This discussion about Georgia’s state of children included Governor Barnes, state lawmakers, and child advocates. Officials with the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic, a Foundation grantee, expressed dismay with the system’s lack of resources to adequately address the alarming numbers of children abused or neglected in Georgia. More Information About this Conference.