Winner Category: Honorable Mention

Honorable Mention Recipient

2021 Honorable Mention Recipient

North Market

Organization

Pillsbury United Communities

Minneapolis, MN

Program

North Market

Partners

North Memorial Health

2021 Honorable Mention Recipient

North Market

Organization

Pillsbury United Communities

Minneapolis, MN

Program

North Market

Partners

North Memorial Health

North MarketJulie Brauninger
Director of Institutional Giving

Pillsbury United Communities

3650 Fremont Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55412

612.302.3429
Email

Fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods shouldn’t be a luxury. However, for millions of American families living in so-called “food deserts,” with limited access to affordable nutritious food, they often are.

In 2017, Pillsbury United Communities, one of Minnesota’s most well-established nonprofit organizations, partnered with North Memorial Health (NMH) to create North Market—a nonprofit grocery and wellness center that is specifically designed to address the persistent food insecurity and health issues in the underserved community of North Minneapolis.

The symmetry of purpose these two organizations share has helped further North Market’s success. With more than 140 years of service to diverse communities across the Twin Cities and beyond, Pillsbury United’s mission is to co-create enduring change toward a just society where every person can thrive. This includes addressing the disparities in health and wealth that many communities face as a result of decades of disinvestment and systemic racism. NMH is a local network of 26 specialty and primary care clinics, urgent and emergency care offerings, medical transportation services, and two hospitals focused on providing friendly, knowledgeable healthcare to the people who live and work in the community.

What began as a community-centered conversation about food access in North Minneapolis—an urban neighborhood with just one supermarket to serve 67,000 residents—quickly became a larger plan to help its residents understand and address significant food-related health issues, such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, that plague their community. A more holistic concept emerged, and North Market opened its doors as a community-based destination for health screening, culturally relevant health education and healthy food options.

“We’re now in our fourth year of operation, and North Market continues to nourish and heal the residents of North Minneapolis,” said Adair Mosley, President and CEO of Pillsbury United Communities. “Pillsbury United’s five outdoor urban farms and one solar-powered hydroponic farm, plus other North Minneapolis community farmers, help to ensure year-round access to healthy produce.”

One of the best things about North Market is that they made it their mission to employ residents of North Minneapolis. North Market is more than a grocery store; it’s a community resource for health and wellness. I’m there almost every day!”

Tavia from Minneapolis

2,000+

Pounds of produce grown by Pillsbury United Communities and sold at North Market in 2020.

50%

Produce at North Market is half-price on Wednesdays, thanks to public and private funding.

Partnering with North Market has been beneficial to my business and the community. They’ve enabled our company to provide affordable fitness, wellness and nutrition through grant programming, safe wellness space, and support through the pandemic. We are grateful for their partnership and continuous support.”

Chaz Sandifer

Founder, theNEWmpls

2021 Honorable Mention Recipient

HomeAid® WORKS

Organization

HomeAid® America

Irvine, CA

Program

HomeAid® WORKS

Partners

Colorado Homebuilding Academy

Constructing Hope

TEACH Construction

Six HomeAid affiliates from across the country

West Adams WorkSource Center

2021 Honorable Mention Recipient

HomeAid® WORKS

Organization

HomeAid® America

Irvine, CA

Program

HomeAid® WORKS

Partners

Colorado Homebuilding Academy

Constructing Hope

TEACH Construction

Six HomeAid affiliates from across the country

West Adams WorkSource Center

HomeAid® WORKSLaura McKenna
Development Director

HomeAid® America

PO Box 53156
Irvine, CA 92619

949.777.1660
Email

It is said that difficult situations inspire ingenious solutions. When it comes to HomeAid® America and the creation of their HomeAid® WORKS program, this phrase could not be more true.

For 32 years, HomeAid® has been an integral part of the fight to end homelessness in our country. A leading nonprofit developer of housing and programmatic facilities, it operates through a network of 19 affiliates in 13 states with the mission to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness build new lives through construction, community engagement and education.

HomeAid® recognized that its construction partners were being slowed by a shortage of qualified workers. In 2019, it responded with HomeAid® WORKS (Workforce Opportunities for Rebuilding through Knowledge and Skills). This innovative workforce development program answers both the need for more housing solutions and for better-trained construction workers by linking job training and education with a pathway to secure, high-paying jobs in construction.

Students are recommended to the WORKS program through HomeAid®’s partnerships with nonprofit social services providers. HomeAid® then helps these individuals to overcome obstacles to their success with scholarships, transportation and childcare assistance, tools, training materials and access to computers. Leveraging partnerships with construction curriculum/education providers, training facilities and job placement specialists, HomeAid® then helps WORKS graduates to enter and advance in the construction industry.

At the same time, WORKS benefits its construction industry partners by creating a pipeline of well-trained and knowledgeable job seekers who can help employers improve the quality and diversity of their workforce, minimize worksite delays and enhance their competitive edge.

“HomeAid® WORKS offers a road map to a better future for some of our country’s most vulnerable individuals,” said Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid® America. “This year, three more affiliates have joined us, replicating the program in Houston and in San Diego and Inland Empire, California. With potential expansion to Austin and Atlanta expected next year, HomeAid® WORKS is inspiring individuals from all walks of life to break the cycle of homelessness in America.”

HomeAid® has helped me really determine what career path I wanted. I came in here with zero knowledge and no idea what construction was. The one-on-one help they provide was something that really helped me a lot. They actually care about you and want you to succeed.”

Darwin from Denver

90%

Percentage of homebuilders who cite the labor shortage as an issue.

187

Number of students who have graduated since 2019;

(78% are minorities and 22% are women)

The WORKS program is a blessing to the West Adams WorkSource Center. Their construction program is a new paradigm, not only providing in-house training, but also placing students and helping them to get employment. The only way we’re able to do this is through our partnership with HomeAid®. Their wonderful WORKS program is helping us to change lives.”

Joel Jacinto

Business Service Representative, Asian American Drug and Alcohol Program,
West Adams WorkSource Center

2021 Honorable Mention Recipient

Clean Water for Carolina Kids

Organization

RTI International

Durham, NC

Program

Clean Water for Carolina Kids

Partners

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services / Division of Public Health

Duke Environmental Law and Policy Center

NC Child

2021 Honorable Mention Recipient

Clean Water for Carolina Kids

Organization

RTI International

Durham, NC

Program

Clean Water for Carolina Kids

Partners

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services / Division of Public Health

Duke Environmental Law and Policy Center

NC Child

Clean Water for Carolina KidsJennifer Hoponick Redmon
MSES, MPA, CHMM
Senior Environmental Health Scientist and Program Director

RTI International

3040 East Cornwallis Road
Durham, NC 27709

919.541.6000
Email

Infants and children need access to safe drinking water. Yet, the health of millions of our youngest citizens may be at risk because of toxic lead in the piping and plumbing in the childcare centers and schools where they play and learn.

Today, Clean Water for Carolina Kids is making critical advancements in protecting children from lead exposure. Launched in 2017 by RTI, an independent nonprofit research institute, Clean Water for Carolina Kids began as a community-based pilot study to engage and train school administrators in testing for and tracking lead contamination with a simple but groundbreaking mail-out test kit and a cloud-based enrollment and reporting portal. The study found that lead was present in water, above the American Academy of Pediatrics reference level, at 63% of the childcare centers and schools tested.

RTI is dedicated to improving the human condition through science-based solutions. Its team of nearly 6,000 experts works collaboratively with outside organizations to address complex social and scientific challenges on behalf of communities and businesses around the world.

Leveraging local connections, RTI partnered with various organizations to evaluate legal, regulatory and economic options for statewide lead testing. Together with input from outside stakeholders, RTI and its partners successfully updated North Carolina’s statewide childcare sanitation rule to require all licensed childcare centers to test for lead in water being used for drinking and food preparation.

“Clean Water for Carolina Kids is the first program to make available large-scale, yet scientifically robust, lead-in-water testing, while empowering school and childcare administrators as ‘citizen scientists,’” said Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, a senior environmental health scientist and program director at RTI International. “This year, we expanded the program throughout public schools in Georgia and with private well-owners across the U.S. We are elated that it has become a model for eliminating childhood exposure to lead and other contaminants. With federal funding, this testing is free to all participants.”

Our school was built in the 1940s, long before a federal rule came along in 1986 and banned lead use in pipes and fittings. Clean Water for Carolina Kids provided testing kits that were a great resource for us to make sure that the kids in our building were safe.”

Hannah Bradshaw Coordinator, Onslow County Elementary Schools Pre-K Child Care Centers

94%

Percent of 4,400 licensed childcare centers in North Carolina that have participated in the program.

230,000+

North Carolina children (ages 6 and younger) who now have access to safe drinking water.

As a result of Clean Water for Carolina Kids’ unique citizen scientist approach to collecting water samples, more than 94% of licensed childcare centers in North Carolina have already completed testing. No other state in the Southeast has reached this level of testing to assure safe drinking water for children.”

Ed Norman

MPH, Program Manager, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services,
Environmental Health Section

2021 Honorable Mention Recipient

Adopt-A-Neighborhood Project

Organization

Legal Aid of Western Missouri

Kansas City, MO

Program

Adopt-A-Neighborhood Project

Partners

Seven prominent law firms in Kansas City, MO

2021 Honorable Mention Recipient

Adopt-A-Neighborhood Project

Organization

Legal Aid of Western Missouri

Kansas City, MO

Program

Adopt-A-Neighborhood Project

Partners

Seven prominent law firms in Kansas City, MO

Adopt-A-Neighborhood ProjectKayla Hogan
Adopt-A-Neighborhood Project Director

Legal Aid of Western Missouri

4001 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64130

816.474.9868
Email

A roof sags over broken windows. Strips of wood are missing from the rotting front porch. The sign on the door warns: Danger! Keep Out. In cities across the U.S., urban neighborhoods are struggling with an epidemic of vacant and abandoned buildings along with economic disinvestment and the quality-of-life, health and safety concerns that often accompany urban blight.

In 2015, Legal Aid of Western Missouri created the Adopt-A-Neighborhood Project, a groundbreaking initiative helping to transform seven distressed neighborhoods within Kansas City’s urban core into vibrant, thriving communities. The first program of its kind in the country, Adopt-A-Neighborhood provides access to pro bono legal services to individuals, neighborhood associations and other nonprofit organizations through a unique collaboration with seven of the city’s top private law firms.

This initiative is in keeping with Legal Aid’s primary mission to improve the lives of those in need through quality legal assistance. Founded in 1964, Legal Aid provides a range of free, holistic, civil (noncriminal) legal services designed to help clients with low incomes to access healthcare and public benefits; escape abuse and human trafficking; resolve immigration issues; access safe, stable housing; and spur community and economic development.

Members of Legal Aid’s staff provide training to help attorneys who volunteer for the Adopt-A-Neighborhood Project to handle community economic development cases. At the same time, Legal Aid provides legal education to neighborhood associations and other community members.

“The goal of the Adopt-A-Neighborhood Project is to help stabilize housing, return vacant properties to productive use and improve the quality of life in low-income neighborhoods,” said Kayla Hogan, the Adopt-A-Neighborhood Project Director. “It provides a clear example of how Legal Aid can partner with private law firms to provide a pathway for residential development, community revitalization and economic security for underserved communities and their residents. Based on the success of this in Kansas City, the project has been replicated in St. Louis and is being considered by other cities across the U.S.”

The Adopt-A-Neighborhood Project has helped the Tri-Blenheim Neighborhood Association (TBNA) to reduce vacant and abandoned properties in our area and has provided TBNA with invaluable tools including housing court representation, knowledge of the complete housing rehab process and a better understanding of city codes and regulations. In just over a year, five properties have been rehabbed in the TBNA area.”

Charles Kennedy President, Tri-Blenheim Neighborhood Association

400+

Cases opened to date on behalf of neighborhood associations and individuals in Kansas City’s urban core.

11,000+

Pro bono hours of legal service committed to-date by program partners.

130+

Volunteer attorneys from seven of Kansas City’s top law firms.

The Adopt-A-Neighborhood Project has empowered various neighborhood associations to take an active role in neighborhood improvement efforts. The end result of the project has been to help restore neighborhoods, attract new residents to the neighborhoods and address various neighborhood legal needs.”

R.B. Miller, III

Senior Counsel, Lathrop GPM LLP

2020 Honorable Mention Recipient

The Community and Law Enforcement Collaboration Project

Organization

EMPACT-Suicide Prevention Center

Tempe, AZ

Program

The Community and Law Enforcement Collaboration Project

Partners

Phoenix Police Department

Tempe Police Department

2020 Honorable Mention Recipient

The Community and Law Enforcement Collaboration Project

Organization

EMPACT-Suicide Prevention Center

Tempe, AZ

Program

The Community and Law Enforcement Collaboration Project

Partners

Phoenix Police Department

Tempe Police Department

The Community and Law Enforcement Collaboration ProjectErica Chestnut-Ramirez,
Regional Vice President

EMPACT-Suicide Prevention Center

618 S. Madison Drive
Tempe, AZ 85281

480.784.1514 x115
Email

EMPACT-Suicide Prevention Center (EMPACT-SPC) was founded in 1987 to provide behavioral health services to individuals and families, including crisis intervention, suicide prevention, substance abuse treatment and more. In 2013, it created The Community and Law Enforcement Collaboration Project, partnering with the Phoenix and Tempe police departments to reduce the need for law enforcement to serve as frontline responders to mental health and substance abuse crises.

Initially, training was the focus of this bold initiative. Crisis Intervention Teams provide 40 hours of training, helping police officers recognize and respond to a person experiencing a mental health crisis. However, the partnership quickly evolved into a more holistic, integrated approach to improving public safety.

Crisis mobile teams now enable the transfer of noncriminal crises to behavioral health professionals, without any police involvement. Post-crisis navigators offer clients follow-up for 60 days as ongoing clinical services are put in place. And first-responder wellness liaisons provide support to police officers facing behavioral health issues of their own.

“This groundbreaking partnership between behavioral health services and law enforcement is yielding clear results,” said Dr. Dan Ranieri, CEO of La Frontera AZ, EMPACT-SPC’s parent company. “Last year, our mobile teams responded to 7,500 calls, requesting law enforcement’s presence less than four percent of the time. And nearly 80 percent of individuals served were successfully stabilized in the community, rather than being transported to a hospital or jail. This has enabled police officers to focus more time on keeping our communities safe.”

2020 Honorable Mention Recipient

Human Services and Employment Capacity Building

Organization

Keystone Independence Management

Hermitage, PA

Program

Human Services and Employment Capacity Building

Partners

Keystone Blind Association

Keystone Vocational Services

Beaver County Association for the Blind

Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Montgomery County Association for the Blind

2020 Honorable Mention Recipient

Human Services and Employment Capacity Building

Organization

Keystone Independence Management

Hermitage, PA

Program

Human Services and Employment Capacity Building

Partners

Keystone Blind Association

Keystone Vocational Services

Beaver County Association for the Blind

Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Montgomery County Association for the Blind

Human Services and Employment Capacity BuildingLaurie Staph,
President and CEO

Keystone Independence Management

3056 E. State Street
Hermitage, PA 16148

724.347.5501
Email

Since 1947, Keystone Blind Association (KBA) has been offering specialized services and support to help blind and visually impaired individuals build a brighter future. In 2000, after recognizing that other nonprofits serving this community struggle to fund their operations, KBA created Keystone Independence Management (KIM) to provide them crucial management and back-office services. By utilizing KIM services, outside agencies are able to downsize their costs and redirect their resources to programs that support their mission. At the same time, this forward-thinking business model provides KIM a source of additional revenue to grow its reach.

In 2002, KIM collaborated with Keystone Vocational Services and its partners to secure employment opportunities exclusively for individuals with vision loss or other disabilities through its Human Services and Employment Capacity Building program. This unique partnership-driven program seeks out federal and state contracts and other work that can be performed by individuals with disabilities. Employees earn market wages and benefits, and work in an environment that is competitive and fully integrated. The program also provides access to services to help KIM employees build a more independent and opportunity-filled future.

“Our group of agencies has learned how to effectively collaborate with each other and with community partners, leveraging our respective strengths to serve the greater good. Today, we are one of the largest combined employers of visually impaired and blind individuals in Pennsylvania,” said Laurie Staph, President and CEO of Keystone Blind Association. “We are proud of how our entrepreneurial approach has enabled us to further social change in a financially sustainable way.”

2020 Honorable Mention Recipient

Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations

Organization

Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations

Spokane Valley, WA

Program

Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations

Partners

Indian Health Services

State of Washington Health Care Authority

Spokane Public Schools

Seven Tribal Nations

2020 Honorable Mention Recipient

Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations

Organization

Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations

Spokane Valley, WA

Program

Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations

Partners

Indian Health Services

State of Washington Health Care Authority

Spokane Public Schools

Seven Tribal Nations

Healing Lodge of the Seven NationsRebecca Crocker,
Executive Director

Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations

5600 E. 8th Avenue
Spokane Valley, WA 99212

509.533.6910
Email

In 1986, leaders from seven Tribal nations based in Washington, Oregon and Idaho came together to discuss long-term chronic addiction and its impact on Native American youth. Faced with no acceptable treatment options close to home, they formed a partnership with Indian Health Services to create the Inland Tribal Consortium, now called Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations. Eight years later, with support from the State of Washington Health Care Authority, the Spokane Public Schools and other partners, Healing Lodge opened a 45-bed residential treatment center for Native American/Alaska Native adolescents, ages 13 to 18, and other youth. This facility includes a fully accredited alternative school on its campus so residents can earn educational credits toward a degree while in treatment.

Over time, Healing Lodge evolved its programming to a more holistic view of treatment. In 2013, it introduced a groundbreaking 90- to 120-day treatment model that fully integrates Native American cultural and spiritual values and practices, along with best practices for chemical dependency counseling. In 2017, they opened an Orientation/Integration Unit, which provides new residents time for treatment planning and a chance to acclimate to the therapeutic community.

“By blending traditional Tribal approaches with state-of-the-art intensive learning strategies, Healing Lodge has found a winning combination—one that is having a profound impact on the long-term health and well-being of our youth,” said Rebecca Crocker, Executive Director. “Since 2013, we have served more than 1,200 adolescents, and 80 percent have completed our program. Equally important, the one-year relapse rate for our residents is 23 percent, compared with a 90 percent national relapse rate following most treatment programs. We are deeply honored to be part of their healing and to see our youth become the successful students and productive members of the community they were meant to be.”

2020 Honorable Mention Recipient

Choose to Change

Organization

Children’s Home & Aid

Chicago, IL

Program

Choose to Change

Partners

Youth Advocate Programs

University of Chicago Crime Lab

2020 Honorable Mention Recipient

Choose to Change

Organization

Children’s Home & Aid

Chicago, IL

Program

Choose to Change

Partners

Youth Advocate Programs

University of Chicago Crime Lab

Choose to ChangeMichael Shaver,
President and CEO

Children’s Home & Aid

125 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 1400
Chicago, IL 60606

312.424.6877
Email

Choose to Change (C2C) is a homegrown collaboration between Children’s Home & Aid and Youth Advocate Programs (YAP) that aims to reduce criminal behavior and improve academic outcomes for at-risk 13- to 18-year-olds living in the south and west sides of Chicago. This innovative six-month intervention program, which won the University of Chicago Crime Lab’s prestigious 2015 Chicago Design Competition, combines trauma-informed cognitive behavioral therapy with holistic mentorship to help more than 600 youth process their trauma and develop tools to make healthier decisions in their lives.

Trust is an essential component of the program. Before any therapy or other services are offered, an advocate from YAP spends eight hours a week with the program participant doing one-on-one and group activities, and provides support to help the youth reconnect with school and identify positive family relationships. Once a strong mentoring relationship is formed, the advocate then accompanies the teen to trauma-informed therapy sessions led by a masters-level therapist from Children’s Home & Aid. These group meetings help participants learn to better regulate their emotions, engage in helpful coping mechanisms, and build their problem-solving and communication skills.

“We’re thrilled to say that C2C shows great promise for reducing violent crime and improving educational attainment for at-risk youth,” said Michael Shaver, President and CEO of Children’s Home & Aid. “Based on the University of Chicago Crime and Education Labs’ evaluation of the program’s outcomes, the City of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools have decided to expand this program to serve 2,000 more young people in 2020 and beyond.”

2019 Honorable Mention Recipient

Mobile Dental Unit

Organization

West Virginia Health Right, Inc.

Charleston, WV

Program

Mobile Dental Unit

2019 Honorable Mention Recipient

Mobile Dental Unit

Organization

West Virginia Health Right, Inc.

Charleston, WV

Program

Mobile Dental Unit

2019 Honorable Mention Recipient

Center for Driver’s License Recovery & Employability

Organization

Wisconsin Community Services, Inc.

Milwaukee, WI

Program

Center for Driver’s License Recovery & Employability

2019 Honorable Mention Recipient

Center for Driver’s License Recovery & Employability

Organization

Wisconsin Community Services, Inc.

Milwaukee, WI

Program

Center for Driver’s License Recovery & Employability

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