Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith, who started a foundation to help victims of domestic violence, was honored this week by the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty. The McKinney-Vento Awards, at the Liaison Capitol Hill, honor those that advance solutions to homelessness and poverty. We snapped Steve with NLCHP domestic violence and education attorney Lisa Coleman. Steve took home the Stewart B. McKinney Award, and the Bruce F. Vento Award went to Sen. Patty Murray.
NLCHP executive director Maria Foscarinis founded NLCHP in 1989 to work toward ending homelessness in America. We found her catching up with Sullivan & Cromwell's Margaret Pfeiffer. Maria started her career at S&C; after representing homeless families pro bono, she left private practice to do legal advocacy full time. She successfully pushed for the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (the awards evening is named for two late Congressmen who partnered on it), the first and only federal legislation to address homelessness.
Honoree Aleah Green, here with her son, Shiloh, received the Personal Achievement Award. She reached out to NLCHP after losing her job—despite holding a BA and MBA—which led to moving in with her mother. NLCHP ensured, despite the school district's initial unlawful refusal, that Shiloh was able to enroll in school.
Sidley Austin took home the Pro Bono Counsel Award. We snapped Sidley privacy practice co-chair and NLCHP board chairman Edward McNicholas with his wife, Andrea. Ed first got involved through putting together Supreme Court briefs for NLCHP; the organization advocates for the homeless on issues like right to travel and voter ID laws.
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