Casa Alianza is an international non-profit organization and the Latin American branch of Covenant House. It is a Non-governmental Organization (NGO) providing shelter, food, immediate crisis care, and an array of other services to homeless and runaway youth. History Casa Alianza was founded in Latin America in 1981 in response to the rampant human rights abuses taking place throughout the region. Casa Alianza was founded by the U.S.-based organization Covenant House, with the first site being founded in Guatemala. Covenant House proceeded to found Casa Alianza Honduras in 1987, Casa Alianza Mexico in 1988, and Casa Alianza Nicaragua in 1998 In addition to Casa Alianza's operations in direct support of children, the organization also has founded three separate fundraising and advocacy branches in Germany, the U.K. and Switzerland. The organization's international headquarters remains in New York City and is led by Kevin M. Ryan, the former commissioner of New Jersey's Department of Children and Families (see Kevin Ryan (commissioner)). Including the work of Casa Alianza, Covenant House now serves 71,000 children throughout the Americas each year. "Casa Alianza" is merely the Spanish translation of "Covenant House". Awards In 1996, Casa Alianza in Latin America received the Swedish Olof Palme Prize for an "outstanding achievement in the spirit of Olof Palme". The prize was conferred for the organization's "dedicated work to help street children in Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico" and "for the courageous defence of the rights of these children" and was awarded by "Andrée Ruffo and Pierre Dionne, the President and Director General respectively". In 1999, Casa Alianza in Latin America received the International Award for Children's Rights from the International Bureau for Children's Rights in Montreal, Canada. In 2000, Casa Alianza received the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, which is claimed to be the "largest humanitarian award in the world". Though the award now comes with a $US 1.5 million prize, Casa Alianza received $US 1.0 million in 2000, which apparently was designated for the building of the Hilton Home ("Hogar Conrad N. Hilton") with a capacity of 94 beds. The award was presented by Queen Noor of Jordan. In 2002, Casa Alianza in Guatemala received the Jorge Angel Livraga Award for its work with street children. In 2006, Casa Alianza in Guatemala received the Order of the Quetzal award, which is the highest award that the Guatemalan government bestows upon those doing humanitarian work in Guatemala. In 2007,