 (l to r) Peter Beard, Executive Director, Fannie Mae Foundation; Sol Flores, Executive Director, La Casa Norte; Keith Decker, Co-Founder and Board Member, La Casa Norte; Robert Hohler, Executive Director, Melville Charitable Trust
La Casa Norte wins
Maxwell Award of ExcellenceLa Casa Norte was one of four organizations nationwide to win a 2007 Maxwell Award of Excellence from the Fannie Mae Foundation and the Partnership to End Long Term Homelessness. Presented on Jan. 25 in Washington, D.C., the honor was accompanied by a $75,000 grant toward our supportive housing work. La Casa Norte won in the Supportive Housing for Homeless Youth category. Executive Director Sol Flores and Co-Founder Keith Decker traveled to Washington on Jan. 24. They and 14 other finalist organizations each made a presentation before a committee of experts. "It was a great experience to meet people doing amazing housing and services work across the country", Sol said. "And of course it was very exciting to be named the winner in the youth housing category." Projects were judged on their innovation, replicability and transformative impact on the community. La Casa Norte was cited for our distinctive approach in the youth service provider arena: male-focused, bilingual and multicultural services for predominantly Latino and black homeless youth. "We are so thankful for support we have received to fulfill our mission and goals", Sol said. "Together we are building hope for the future!"  (l to r) Valerie Jarrett, President & CEO, The Habitat Company; Jack Schroedeer, Architect, Landon Bone Baker; Sol Flores, Executive Director, La Casa Norte; Jeff Bone, Architect, Landon Bone Baker; Sunny Fischer and Richard H. Driehaus of the Richard H. Driehaus FoundationSolid Ground Architects
Win Driehaus AwardLandon Bone Baker, architects of La Casa Norte's Solid Ground supportive housing facility, earned top honors for their innovative work in the 2008 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Awards for Architectural Excellence in Community Design, presented on Feb. 11. The firm won first place in the prestigious annual contest for adaptive reuse of a commercial building. Projects by Stanley Tigerman and Helmut Jahn placed second and third. La Casa Norte presented Landon Bone Baker with no small challenge: to convert an old three-story masonry building into a space that would provide a safe harbor for homeless youth and demonstrate a commitment to environmental sustainability. The firm responded creatively with a striking yet functional space. With natural materials, light and color, they created an environment that feels home-like rather than institutional for our young men. It features 16 individual bedrooms, a shared kitchen, program areas, and a basement with a common recreational and computer space. Beautifully detailed with contemporary materials, the warmth of the interior is visible from the street while retaining a sense of privacy for the residents. "La Casa Norte addresses the need for supportive housing that provides young people with a safe and welcoming space where they can live and grow," said Andrew Mooney, Executive Director of LISC/Chicago and co-founder of the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards. "The redesign of this structure brings the building and its spaces in line with the mission of the organization and the needs of the young people living within." Added La Casa Norte Executive Director Sol Flores, "We are providing a haven for youth. The variety of spaces in this building allows them to grow as individuals while building relationships with their peers. They leave La Casa Norte with a network of relationships that will sustain them even after they have left this home."For more information on the Driehaus Foundation awards, click here. For more on Landon Bone Baker, visit www.landonbonebaker.com.
|
