Thank you, Jeff and good morning everyone.  This is a great day for some of the most vulnerable citizens in Washington, DC… because, as you've heard, we're here to announce that Bright Beginnings is keeping their doors open much, much later to serve homeless children and their families. 

Bright Beginnings is a special place…an oasis and a constant for children whose daily lives have been marked by instability and the uncertainty of where they will eat and sleep next.

As I was going to sleep last night, I thought about what bedtime might be like for our region's homeless children.  Were they already asleep…and even in a bed?  Was it noisy in the shelter? Did they have a regular bedtime or even enjoy a bedtime snack and story?  The simple things that most of us take for granted are not realities for many homeless children.

I found some solace knowing that, for those children lucky enough to attend Bright Beginnings, they get to be a "kid" for a period of time every day.  They have a chance to learn, play, eat, and sleep within a structured, nurturing environment. 

As we know, quality, appropriate, safe child care is fundamental to helping bring stability and success to families.  And Bright Beginnings offers families so much more than solely child care…and that's a great benefit to our whole community too.

That's why we are proud to be here today to help the center begin a new phase.  Through this new grant, the center is stretching their day to help more children in need, making this center the only one of its kind to have hours late into the evening.  This is especially important since many of these families struggling for stability do not have the luxury of working in 9 to 5 jobs.

Now, 36 more children will have the benefit of going to sleep with a bedtime snack and story in a cozy environment.  And parents will have some peace of mind knowing that their children are safe so they can focus their efforts on steering their family towards success. 

Helping this center expand its services in the city we call home is part of our commitment to being good neighbors. This commitment is based on the belief that strong, stable neighborhoods start with healthy children and families. 

And now, let me make this official.  I'd like to ask Betty Jo, Claudia, and other members of the board to join me.  On behalf of the Freddie Mac Foundation, I present you this check for $300,000… bringing our total support of Bright Beginnings to more than $1.1 million. 

We look forward to watching even more Bright Beginnings children play, learn, and grow…as their parents build their lives and contribute to making our community stronger.