The Association of Latino Men for Action (ALMA) has been chosen as a 2003 grant recipient by Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP). The HIP grant, which is awarded to help Latino nonprofit agencies nationwide, will be used to hire a part-time executive director to oversee ALMA’s growth and increase its ability to meet the needs of the Latino Gay, Bi and questioning men’s community. The new director is expected to be hired in early 2004. For information on how to apply, call (773) 929-7688. Deerfield High School (see last week’s Windy City Times cover story) raised $81,000 in support of Chicago House programs and services this holiday season. Chicago’s About Face Theatre is among 45 Illinois groups receiving a share of the National Endowment for the Arts pie this grant season. They will get $13,000 to assist with production of the new musical Winesburg, Ohio, which they performed last season at Steppenwolf Theatre. U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky and state Sen. Carol Ronen are lending their support to state Sen. Barak Obama in his race for the U.S. Senate post from Illinois. Openly lesbian judicial candidate Sheryl Ann Pethers held a holiday reception Dec. 13 for supporters and friends, with music and food. ‘Lesbians have been behind me 100% from the beginning, but many gay men are now getting on board. It’s encouraging to have support from the entire GLBT community,’ she said. Three gay men are also running in the 8th Subcircuit—this week candidates must declare which of the two open seats they are running in. A new housing study looks at Mayor Daley’s arguments against affordable housing set-asides, according to the Better Development Coalition and the Business and Professional People for the Public Interest. The study shows how ‘inclusionary housing is a solution that produces significant numbers of affordable units without: 1) deterring development, 2) harming the local property tax base, and 3) exhausting scarce public tax dollars.’ For more info, call (312) 641-5570 or (773) 419-0837.