. ▁ ▁Awards ▁The ▁work ▁of ▁The ▁Do e ▁Fund ▁and ▁its ▁founder ▁has ▁received ▁numerous ▁awards ▁and ▁hon ors . ▁The ▁Department ▁of ▁H ous ing ▁and ▁Urban ▁Development ▁( H UD ) ▁has ▁given ▁it ▁multiple ▁hon ors , ▁including ▁H UD ' s ▁first - ever ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁Pract ices , ▁instit uted ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁Manh attan ▁Institute ▁for ▁Policy ▁Research ▁awarded ▁the ▁William ▁E . ▁Simon ▁Prize ▁for ▁L if etime ▁Ach iev ement ▁in ▁Social ▁Entre pr ene ur ship ▁to ▁George ▁Mc Donald ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁for ▁his ▁work - based ▁programs ▁to ▁reduce ▁hom eless ness ▁and ▁criminal ▁rec id iv ism . ▁The ▁inst itute ▁cred ited ▁George ▁Mc Donald ▁with ▁“ ch anging ▁the ▁way ▁the ▁problem ▁of ▁hom eless ness ▁is ▁understood , ▁going ▁far ▁beyond ▁the ▁provision ▁of ▁shelter ▁to ▁help ▁former ▁street ▁people ▁and ▁prisoners ▁reg ain ▁their ▁self - res pect ▁and ▁become ▁product ive ▁citizens .” ▁Also ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁St . ▁John ' s ▁University ▁awarded ▁George ▁Mc Donald ▁its ▁Spirit ▁of ▁Service ▁Award ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Inter ag ency ▁Council ▁on ▁Hom eless ness ▁presented ▁The ▁Do e ▁Fund ▁with ▁its ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁In nov ator ▁of ▁Special ▁Mer it ▁Award . ▁ ▁George ▁Mc Donald ▁was ▁hon ored ▁personally ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁with ▁a ▁New ▁York ▁Post ▁Liber ty ▁Medal ▁Award , ▁which ▁the