Fannie Mae, in partnership with NBC, has introduced the Know Your Options Awareness Campaign, a foreclosure awareness and prevention program, to Chicago. In the hopes of assisting as many homeowners as possible, Fannie Mae volunteers will be operating a toll-free Phone-A-Thon today and tomorrow, October 18th and 19th.

Chicago is the second city to launch the Know Your Options campaign. The multimedia campaign, which includes television promotions and consumer outreach through online and interactive presence, is designed to encourage those homeowners experiencing difficulty making mortgage payments to make an effort to avoid foreclosure.

Chicago-area homeowners interested in receiving aid from the Phone-A-Thon can call 1-866-989-6931 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. today or from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow to receive assistance. Participating Fannie Mae borrowers will be connected with one of several housing counselors from a Fannie Mae Mortgage Help Center. Counselors will explain available options and assist each homeowner in selecting the course of action that fits his or her individual needs. Borrowers without Fannie Mae loans will be referred to local housing counseling agencies.

While today is the first day of the Phone-A-Thon, the Chicago awareness effort launched on October 9th. Homeowners can also visit http://www.knowyouroptions.com/chicagotv for more information on the campaign and for more foreclosure prevention measures.

NBC and affiliates are planning to launch the campaign in three more cities nationwide.