VHDA CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT CELEBRATES 10TH YEAR
BY TOPPING CUMULATIVE DONATIONS AT MORE THAN $425,000

Richmond, VA -2002 marked a spectacular year for the Virginia Housing Development Authority's Annual Charity Golf Tournament. The Charity Invitational celebrated its 10th anniversary raising more than $425,000 for the women and children of Virginia in need of immediate safe, decent shelter. The event began in 1992 as an Annual Charity Invitational Golf tournament designed to raise funds to benefit women and children in need of shelter throughout the state. Ten years later, it has helped 21 nonprofit organizations that support emergency, temporary or permanent housing throughout Virginia.

This year's Annual Charity Invitational Golf tournament raised more than $63,000 for three Virginia charities: Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter, The Arlington Community Temporary Shelter, and Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity. Each charity received a donation of $21,000. Other shelters that have received donations from the Charity Invitational include: the Women's Resource Center of the New River Valley; Mercy House for the homeless in Shenandoah Valley; and The Haven Family Center, a transitional living center, in Norfolk.

"VHDA is acutely aware of the needs of women and children who require safe housing and who desperately want the opportunity to have a chance to build their self worth," said Don Ritenour, managing director of development.
"Providing support to these charities also give these families the opportunity to eventually be productive members of their communities. A large part of our mission at VHDA is to make affordable housing available to those who would otherwise be unable to obtain it. Donating financial resources to shelters and other housing-related charities provides an avenue for these families to break the legacy of inadequate housing and dangerous domestic situations. We are very proud to be a part of the solution to these serious housing issues," Ritenour said.

The Virginia Housing Development Authority is Virginia's state housing finance agency and is self-supporting. VHDA issues bonds to raise private capital to provide low-interest rate home loans and other home loan financing alternatives to Virginians seeking safe, decent, affordable housing.