Thank you, Kerrie [Wilson, chair of the NoVa Human Services Coalition and executive director of Reston Interfaith.]

Good afternoon. It is a great pleasure to be here with you today.

I feel honored to be in such distinguished company: You are the embodiment of compassion in the Northern Virginia community.

From the many and varied ways you bring dignity and comfort to the less fortunate, I know that you work from the heart. But, as a grant-maker, I also know that you work from the head. You use your imagination, your intelligence and your determination to find new ways to make life better for others.

The fact that you formed this coalition is further evidence of how you work from the heart, as well as the head. You understand that, by working together, you not only help others more effectively, you do it more efficiently. That's the beauty of collaboration.

We at the Freddie Mac Foundation applaud your work. And we believe in you. We have invested grants in fully half of the organizations represented here today. I'm here to say, you have not disappointed us!

I'm also pleased to see that Virginia Governor Mark Warner is being recognized for his contributions to human services. Last year, the Freddie Mac Foundation partnered with Governor Warner's early childhood development effort – Education for a Lifetime – to create and distribute a New Parent Tool Kit. This kit-produced in both English and Spanish – is designed to help vulnerable, first-time parents raise healthy, happy children.

This afternoon, I have the privilege of introducing another Virginia leader who has helped enhance the well-being of our area's children. A native of Annandale, Jane Woods taught in Virginia public schools for nearly 20 years. She was good at her job: In 1987, she was a nominee for Teacher of the Year of Fairfax County Public Schools.

As a teacher, she was eyewitness to many of the problems challenging low-income families and children. Problems such as lack of affordable housing and lack of health insurance.

The same energy and concern that made Jane Woods an exceptional teacher, compelled her to take her caring to another level. In 1987, she ran for and won a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, where she served for 15 years. In 1992, she was elected to the State Senate and served there for the next eight years.

During her extensive public service, she became known as "unquestionably one of the foremost experts on health care" in Virginia. Over the years, she served as Vice Chairman of the Joint Commission on Health Care and Chairman of its Long Term Care subcommittee.

Respected by her colleagues, she quickly rose to chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Education and Health.

Today, she is putting her expertise to work as Secretary of Health and Human Services for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming a fellow Northern Virginian and a wonderful resource for the Commonwealth: The Honorable Jane H. Woods.