January 22, 2002 Contact: Meghan Ray 202-414-4774

For Immediate Release Steve Boyd 202-414-8696

Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund awarded 2002 Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Award for Community Service by the United Planning Organization

Washington, DC – Susie Kay, President and Founder of the Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund, accepted the 2002 Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Award yesterday at the 18^th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast sponsored by the United Planning Organization. The annual award is one of two awarded to a corporation and a community organization that have both strived to improve the quality of life for residents of the District of Columbia. The Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund was selected by the UPO for the community service award because of its efforts to help lower-income, DC public high school students prepare for college and its work to raise academic college scholarship funds for DC public high school students.

“I am so deeply humbled to accept this wonderful honor on behalf of our organization,” said Susie Kay. “Dr. Martin Luther King’s life and legacy remain a profound inspiration to me personally and the Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund strives to embrace the principles of Dr. King’s work to unite individuals, build bridges and commit ourselves to creating a stronger future for all. This is a very proud moment for the Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund,” said Kay.

More than 1250 people attended the United Planning Organization's 18th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast held yesterday at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. The Breakfast featured as keynote speaker the noted Rev. Lewis M. Anthony, Pastor of Wesley AME Zion Church of Washington, DC. Proceeds from UPO's Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast are applied to the UPO/Joseph A. Beavers Scholarship Fund. Local Dignitaries included Mayor Anthony Williams, Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton, and members of the District of Columbia City Council.

UPO, the designated community action agency for the District of Columbia, was established in 1962 to plan for area wide human services. Today, the UPO operates Head Start and childcare activities, senior citizens programs as well as neighborhood based community services. The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast draws a diverse crowd of political and community leaders, activists and local dignitaries. Past keynote speakers have included local and national leaders such as Vernon Jordan, Marion Wright-Edelman, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Lewis Anthony.

To date, HDSF has awarded nearly 600 academic college scholarships, totaling more than $1.6 million. Leading this effort, Kay has built HDSF’s three programs: college preparation mentoring, internship and scholarship so they simultaneously work to build bridges between diverse communities in our nations capitol. Working predominantly with African American students who live and go to high school east of the Anacostia River, most participants in HDSF mentoring and scholarships will be the first in their family to attend college.

Through all of its programs and community events, HDSF offers a unique opportunity for all parts of the Washington business community to come together and enrich their own lives by working with local public high school students. In addition to these core programs, the effort also provides a Princeton Review SAT college prep program free of charge to students through a partnership with the Princeton Review. Ultimately, HDSF strives to build unity across ethnic and socio-economic lines.

HDSF calls on all of us to unite as we support young people in their journey to make the most of shaping their own dreams. For more information on HDSF (www.hoopdreams.org) or to arrange an interview with Founder and President, Susie Kay, please call Meghan Ray at 202.414.4774 or Steve Boyd 202.441.0442.

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