Freddie Mac's Hoops for the Homeless Raises Over $800,000 to Fight Family Homelessness in DC Area Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, Former Washington Redskins Charles Mann and Brian Mitchell, and DC Mayor Anthony Williams Among Those Who Helped Slam Dunk Homelessness in Region WASHINGTON, APRIL 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Freddie Mac's Hoops for the Homeless produced great basketball on Saturday, but more importantly, it also raised over $800,000 to help alleviate homelessness, particularly among children and families living in the Washington, DC region. Freddie Mac hosted and underwrote all of the costs for this three-on-three, celebrity basketball tournament held at the MCI Center and headlined by basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson. The event helped raise awareness and funds for six local homeless service organizations and one national organization advocating for the homeless population across the nation. Homelessness in the DC region continues to be a serious problem. In fact, more than 14,000 individuals are homeless in the area, and nearly half of those are families. Homelessness also affects the youngest members of society. Nearly one-third of the region's homeless are children. While homelessness continues to rise in the District, the majority of homeless families in the region reside in the suburbs. "The number of homeless families in our region simply is unacceptable. It's a situation we cannot allow to persist. That is why we are here today and more committed than ever to decreasing homelessness in our community," explained Ralph F. Boyd, executive vice president, Community Relations, Freddie Mac. "With the support of people and organizations throughout our region, Freddie Mac's Hoops for the Homeless will help more families become self-sufficient and move off the streets and back into homes." "Freddie Mac's Hoops for the Homeless gives me a chance to mix my passion for basketball with my concern for the well-being of children," said Earvin "Magic" Johnson. "This important event will help many children and families in our nation's capital and surrounding region beat homelessness, and I am proud to play a part." This three-on-three tournament was a daylong event featuring round robin play with over 50 area teams. Each team raised at least $1,000 and was assigned a celebrity coach. In addition to Earvin "Magic" Johnson, other celebrities who participated in this year's Hoops for the Homeless tournament included DC Mayor Anthony Williams, Congressman Chris Van Hollen, former Washington Redskins' Charles Mann, Brian Mitchell and Ken Harvey, and former Apprentice contestant Kwame Jackson. The more than $800,000 raised during this tournament will benefit seven outstanding non-profits that work daily to help homeless families in need: Coalition for the Homeless, Transitional Housing Corporation, Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition, Shelter House, New Hope Housing, and the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Many local companies and organizations helped elevate the issue of homelessness by sponsoring the 2005 Freddie Mac's Hoops for the Homeless event, including The MCI Center, The Washington Post, NBC4, Infinity Broadcasting, WMATA, Bear Stearns, Credit Suisse First Boston, Lehman Brothers, Wells Fargo, Ameriquest Mortgage, BlackRock, BNP Paribas, Citigroup, E*TRADE Financial, Fannie Mae Foundation, FTN Financial, JPMorgan, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, UBS, and Washington Mutual. As the largest corporate funder in metropolitan Washington, DC, Freddie Mac has invested nearly $250 million over the past 14 years to strengthen families and communities, primarily through the efforts of the Freddie Mac Foundation. Also, thousands of the company's approximately 5,200 employees have given their time and charitable contributions over the years by participating in volunteer activities throughout the community such as Hoops for the Homeless. For more information on Hoops for the Homeless, or on the issue of homelessness, visit http://www.hoopsforthehomeless.org/. Freddie Mac is a stockholder-owned company established by Congress in 1970 to support homeownership and rental housing. Freddie Mac fulfills its mission by purchasing residential mortgages and mortgage-related securities, which it finances primarily by issuing mortgage-related securities and debt instruments in the capital markets. Over the years, Freddie Mac has made home possible for one in six homebuyers and two million renters in America. Visit: http://www.freddiemac.com/. DATASOURCE: Freddie Mac CONTACT: Shawn Flaherty, +1-703-903-4384, or Jennifer Meyer, +1-703-903-3877, both of Freddie Mac Web site: http://www.freddiemac.com/ http://www.hoopsforthehomeless.org/

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