National honoree
Cavalry of buses comes to the rescue of Chicago neighborhoods

Chicago. Children were among 1,200 volunteers who cleaned up three public housing areas. The driving force behind the massive cleanup: the Chicago Transit Authority.

n three housing projects where residents often complain they can't catch a bus, no fewer than 27 buses rolled up - and dropped off hundreds of volunteers for a Make A Difference Day blitz. By day's end, 70 families had new homes in cleaner neighborhoods. Jack Hartman of the Chicago Transit Authority hatched the idea of CTA workers helping the communities on their routes. Mayor Richard Daley declared it Make A Difference Day, and 1,200 volunteers turned out. In public areas of the housing projects, volunteers removed a staggering 67,000 pounds of debris. In one spot, it took six pieces of heavy machinery, two dump trucks and four garbage trucks to clear an "urban forest" of junk only to discover a tennis court underneath.

Indoors, volunteers cleaned and painted 70 apartments to put needy families and seniors into tidy new homes. At day's end, officials handed an apartment key to a woman who otherwise would have had been homeless. She was overcome with simple gratitude: "I didn't know how I could do this. I'm very happy." $10,000 award from Paul Newman goes to Kaleidoscope child welfare agency.

Paul Newman funds awards

The actor and founder of the food company Newman's Own Inc. gives $10,000 to the charities of each of the 10 Make A Difference Day Award recipients. This is Newman's fifth year as a Make A Difference Day supporter; his contributions to local charities through this day total $500,000. He will give another $100,000 to charities of participants in the next Make A Difference Day, Oct. 23.

Newman, who donates 100% of after-tax profits from Newman's Own to charitable and educational causes.