The American Nicaraguan Foundation (ANF) was founded in 1992 to help the neediest sectors in Nicaragua in the areas of health care, housing, nutrition, education and sustainable development. ANF forges strategic alliances to procure quality goods and products, which are distributed to social service organizations that have been selected based on their effectiveness, transparency and spirit of service. ANF's programs include education programs, aimed at increasing school attendance rates and lowering drop out rates; nutrition programs, reducing the malnourishment levels and improving maternal and elderly health; health care programs, increasing access to quality medical care to reducing mortality rates; and housing programs, reducing the housing deficit to increase standards of living.