WHITE HOUSE AND HUD HIGHLIGHT WACO RESIDENT AS A "CHAMPION OF CHANGE" AND LEADER IN HOUSING COUNSELING

FORT WORTH - On Thursday, March 1st in Los Angeles, California, the White House and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will honor Ruben Andrade Jr., of Waco, Texas as one of eleven housing counselors and HUD-approved organizations being recognized as Champions of Change for their hard work, perseverance and dedication to their communities. Ruben Andrade has been selected for outstanding commitment and achievement representative of the collective work of thousands of housing counselors across the United States.

"Housing counselors work tremendously hard, each and every day, to help families realize the American dream," said White House Senior Advisor, Valerie Jarrett. "From helping homeowners avoid foreclosure to making sure tenants understand their rights to working with borrowers to restore their credit, the men and women we honor today truly are Champions of Change."

"From serving on the front lines of the fight against foreclosure since the housing crisis began, to assisting homeowners and tenants to improve their housing conditions, we owe a debt of gratitude to skilled, objective and knowledgeable housing counselors like Mr. Andrade," added HUD Regional Administrator C. Don Babers. "He's making a difference here in Texas."

The Champions of Change program was created as a part of President Obama's Winning the Future initiative. Each week, a different sector is highlighted and groups of Champions, ranging from educators to entrepreneurs to community leaders, are recognized for the work they are doing to serve and strengthen their communities.

Housing counseling assistance was developed over 40 years ago at a time of severe disinvestment in housing, unaffordable interest rates, high unemployment and irresponsible lending practices. Today, HUD approves, monitors and supports counseling organizations and tracks their output.

Recent initiatives have extended the number and location of HUD-approved housing counseling organizations and reduced the amount of time and complexity of the process to award HUD housing counseling grants.

To learn more about our Champions and watch video of the event, go to www.whitehouse.gov/champions.

Ruben Andrade Jr. joined NeighborWorks® Waco in March 2008, where he currently serves as a bilingual Home Ownership Specialist. He has over 15 years of progressive non-profit experience and is dedicated to providing superior pre-purchase counselling and education for future homeowners, as well as working extensively with existing homeowners facing foreclosure. In 2009, he received his certification in Foreclosure Intervention and Default Counselling through NeighborWorks® America. Throughout the past four years, he has counselled with over 500 families in the state of Texas where he remains a compassionate and energetic voice advocating for families.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.