Thousands of volunteers turned out on Saturday, November 20 for Fannie Mae’s annual Help the Homeless Walkathon. While figures are still being finalized for this year’s event, in 2009, DC area participants raised $5.8 million for 134 regional non-profit organizations serving people who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Vendors Gwynette Smith, Jeff McNeil, Robert Warren, Paul Taylor and Terry Warren participated in the walk and are pictured below. According to Fannie Mae’s own statistics, more than 117,000 people raised funds through last year’s event, by participating in the walk on the National Mall, by walking in one of 657 community Mini-Walks or by providing corporate sponsorships or taking part in other related activities. Since 1988, Fannie Mae has raised more than $80 million through its Help the Homeless Program.
But in recent years, the mortgage giant, a government-sponsored enterprise formerly known as the Federal National Mortgage Association, has itself fallen upon hard times. In 2008, Fannie Mae, struggling with huge losses, was taken over by the federal government. As this year’s Help the Homeless Walkathon took place, the future of Fannie Mae, the nation’s largest mortgage buyer, remained uncertain.
All photos courtesy of Jane Cave.
