National Student Partnerships :: DC Benefit Honors Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA)

For Immediate Release

May 12th, 2008

Media Contact

Katherine Conway

(202) 859-1151 x.19

kconway@nspnet.org

DC Benefit Honors Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA)

WASHINGTON, DC - National Student Partnerships (NSP), an organization that connects America’s youth with impoverished families, honored Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and Senator Edward Kennedy on Tuesday, May 7th with the Leadership in Service award. One-Hundred and fifty of NSP’s strongest DC-area supporters gathered to celebrate NSP’s work and the support of the Congresswoman and Senator.

The Congresswoman and Senator were honored with the Leadership in Service award for their commitment to promoting volunteerism and to strengthening low-income communities both in their home states and across the country. Congresswoman DeLauro inspired the crowd with her passionate vision for fighting poverty and words of support for NSP’s work. Congresswoman DeLauro is a long time supporter who assisted NSP’s CEO, Kirsten Lodal, in founding the first NSP office in New Haven, CT. Senator Kennedy has been a pivotal force in Congress in promoting the health, education, and economic welfare of American families. Through his work he has greatly aided the mission of NSP in Massachusetts and beyond.

Both awardees were honored for brave acts in Congress that have demonstrated their support for those in need, including, the No Child Left Behind Act, the Paycheck Fairness Act, expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit, raising minimum wage, increasing access to affordable housing, and ensuring quality education and health care for all Americans.

During the event, guests heard a testimonial of a client who came to the NSP office in Washington, DC over four years ago. Anthony Newlon was homeless, unemployed, struggling with substance abuse, and alienated from his family. NSP student volunteers assisted Anthony in finding a stable job and housing and ultimately getting his life back on track. Anthony told the crowd at Wednesday’s event that the assistance he received from NSP has inspired and enabled him to give back to his community. During the event he spoke of his gratefulness to NSP’s student volunteers and to the importance of expanding NSP’s model to communities in need across the country.

The event was sponsored by Global Printing on Alexandria, VA and Wilson, Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.

National Student Partnerships operates a national network of resource centers staffed by student volunteers from area colleges and universities. Working one-on-one with community members “clients”, NSP volunteers act as community brokers, providing intensive on-site and referral services that enable clients to: locate employment; secure affordable housing, health care, childcare, and other services; and pursue long-term career and life goals. Perhaps most importantly, NSP volunteers provide clients with hours of listening and support services that are sometimes unavailable in other service agencies. Since its founding, NSP has grown its presence to 12 communities across the country. The NSP-DC office is located in the Perry School Community Services Center, and recruits volunteers from American, Georgetown, George Washington, Howard, and Trinity Universities.