Baker Honored as a Champion of Children

Freddie Mac Foundation President and CEO Maxine Baker was honored as a Champion of Children by the National Children's Alliance (NCA) and Safe Shores — the D.C. Children's Advocacy Center. Baker was one of four honorees at the 3rd Annual Champions of Children Dinner that recognizes individual's work to decrease child abuse and neglect. The other honorees included: Picabo Street, U.S. Senator Joseph Biden, and U.S. Senator Judd Gregg.

Maxine Baker was honored for her exemplary leadership of the Freddie Mac Foundation, which is dedicated to opening doors of hope and opportunity for children and families by preventing child abuse and neglect, finding homes for foster children, and developing youth. Her commitment has helped better the lives of 1.5 million children. The Freddie Mac Foundation was instrumental in the creation of Safe Shores in 1995.

"The work we all do is critical to the life of each child we help," Baker said in her acceptance remarks. "Together, we are shaping our future."

The evening's hosts conduct this annual event to heighten awareness of the issue and highlight the contributions and solutions that are making a difference in children's lives. NCA is a not-for-profit that works to help communities improve their responses to child abuse by establishing and maintaining CACs, facility-based programs that take a team approach in pursuing the truth in child abuse investigations. CACs are designed as safe and welcoming places for children to be heard.

A member of NCA, Safe Shores utilizes a multidisciplinary team process to combat child abuse in the District of Columbia. The non-profit serves as the principal coordinator of the private-public partnership between the United States Attorney's Office, the Office of the Corporation Counsel, the Metropolitan Police Department, the District Child and Family Services Agency and Children's National Medical Center — all of which work together to investigate, prosecute, and prevent child abuse.

Baker's accomplishments in the area of child abuse prevention were highlighted along with several other distinguished leaders. Picabo Street, the Olympic Gold and Silver Medallist in downhill skiing, was recognized for her work as the national spokesperson for NCA. U.S. Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) was honored for: being at the forefront of advocating for children, authoring the 1994 crime bill helping to create the first program to track child molesters, and helping pass the AMBER Alert Bill. The organizations also recognized U.S. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) for his leadership in developing and coordinating critical legislation for justice programs, increasing the funding for CAC programs, creating "Cybertipline" — a source to report on-line crimes against children, and securing funding for the Crimes Against Children Research Center.