Friend for Life Cancer Support Network - 2009
Friend for Life Cancer Support Network of Louisville is a network of cancer survivors and caregivers serving as trained volunteers who provide one-on-one emotional and psychosocial support to individuals recently diagnosed with all types of cancer and their loved ones.
Founded in 1988, Friend for Life provides comprehensive training for its volunteers to ensure they understand their role and are prepared medically, emotionally and psychologically to provide the required intensive support. These cancer survivors fill the critical void between diagnosis and treatment. Volunteers are matched according to type and stage of cancer, anticipated course of treatment, age and gender. Today, there are over 200 volunteers representing survival of over 40 different kinds of cancer.
Friend for Life volunteers also participate in the annual training of first-year students at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, providing medical students with the “real person” experience of a cancer diagnosis.
The only program of its kind in Kentucky, Friend for Life was selected for the 2009 Fifth Third Bank Innovative Nonprofit Award for its one-on-one focus and commitment to serving individuals suffering from all types of cancer. In addition, their use of the Internet to share stories of hope and use of technology and social networking ensures people seeking support receive it when they are most in need.
Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED) - 2008
Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED) of Berea, works to improve the quality of life in Kentucky and Central Appalachia by creating economic opportunity, strengthening democracy and supporting the sustainable use of natural resources. MACED is committed to equipping entrepreneurs, communities and change agents with tools they need to build stronger economies that work for low-income people and places in need. Formed in 1976, MACED’s loans, research activities, demonstration projects and direct work with citizens have proven how critical community economic development is to combating persistent poverty in Appalachia.
MACED’s Common Cents Financial Initiative was launched in May 2007 to address the issue of predatory lending in rural Appalachia. Many financially distressed individuals turn to payday lenders as a last resort to bridge their cash flow gap between paydays and face interest rates of 396 APR. They often find themselves in a cycle of rollovers which often results in fees that are more than double the original loan amount within three months. To address this problem, MACED’s pilot initiative partners with employers to offer the Save It! Loan, an accumulating savings account and financial education.
The Common Cents Financial Initiative has four goals: 1) protect the income of low-to-moderate income people by providing an affordable payday loan alternative; 2) increase the financial security of lower income consumers by assisting them in developing a relationship with a traditional financial institution; 3) build a base of assets to secure better futures for families through a savings account tied to loan repayment; and 4) test a potentially scaleable alternative payday lending service. MACED’s Initiative was selected for the 2008 Fifth Third Bank Innovative Nonprofit Award because their program not only offers an affordable, convenient and replicable alternative to payday loans, but also offers innovative aspects to help low-to-moderate income workers break out of the cycle of debt.
The Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership at The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence - 2007
The Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership at The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence trains and supports parents to become effective advocates for the academic success of all students. Since CIPL was founded in 1997 over 1,500 parents from across the country have graduated from the program. These fellows have impacted the community by taking roles as school board members, community leaders, PTA board members and participants involved in various projects.
CIPL was selected for the 2007 Fifth Third Bank Innovative Nonprofit Award because their program is innovative in two regards: in its approach to engaging parents in improving student achievement and in finding a method to finance that approach. To fund their efforts, The Prichard Committee launched the Center for Parent Leadership as a for-profit consulting entity that generates operating revenue for CIPL, enabling them to provide programs to parents free of charge.
CIPL recognized the importance of parents in education and designed a program to improve the academic levels based on school-performance data. The program uses training sessions and coaching to help parents understand the education system, develop skills and design projects. CIPL is a model of civic engagement in public education by training parents as leaders to involve other parents. They continue their innovation by finding new ways to reach all parents.
Kentucky Habitat for Humanity, Inc. - 2006
Kentucky Habitat for Humanity, Inc. supports and enhances Habitat for Humanity affiliates throughout the state in their mission to provide simple, decent and affordable homes. Since Kentucky Habitat for Humanity’s incorporation in 1993, affiliated Habitat programs have built approximately 1,400 homes; invested over $90 million into affordable housing in the state of Kentucky; and provided a safe and decent home to over 5,000 low-income working families.
Kentucky Habitat for Humanity was selected for the 2006 Fifth Third Bank Innovative Nonprofit Award because their Kentucky Prison Partnership Program demonstrates an innovative approach to engaging and energizing a new volunteer base as well as offering a unique skill-building opportunity for incarcerated individuals.
Kentucky Habitat for Humanity’s partnership with the Kentucky Department of Adult Corrections assists the offender volunteers with development of social and marketable job skills; insures exceptional work quality, which meets and often exceeds the local Habitat affiliates’ expectations; assists the offender volunteers in making a positive contribution to their community; and benefits a “grass roots” effort that brings together offenders, homeowners, and free-world mentors, so they may work together as a team to achieve a common goal — safe, decent and affordable housing.
Community Housing, Inc. of Winchester assists families in attaining and maintaining affordable housing in Clark, Estill, Madison, Montgomery and Powell counties. Since their founding in 1990, Community Housing, Inc. has built 26 new homes for low income families, rehabilitated 18 homes and developed 212 units of affordable rental housing. Community Housing finances and constructs the homes along with education and training in homeownership, budgeting, credit repair services and home maintenance.
Community Housing, Inc. - 2005
Community Housing was selected for the 2005 Fifth Third Bank Innovative Nonprofit Award because their partnership with the City of Mount Sterling is an example of an innovative strategy focusing on collaboration, use of resources at hand and decreasing dependence on grant-specific funds.
Community Housing’s partnership with the City of Mount Sterling is based on a common goal: revitalization of “lost” properties and reclaiming of neighborhoods. Collaboration led them to discover that each had resources that the other lacked. The mayor of Mount Sterling and Community Housing identified a neighborhood in need and got to work using their resources at hand. Their strategy distinguishes their effort from most local government housing developments because they do not rely on specific grant funds. Because grant specific projects can pose restrictions and time elements that limit the vision of neighborhood revitalization, this partnership blends federal, state and local funding sources to ensure flexibility and local decision-making that best serves the community. To date, the partnership between the City and Community Housing has built seven new homes, five abandoned properties have been acquired, and four severely deteriorated houses have been demolished.
Since most towns in Kentucky fit the description of small and many do not have city managers or planners on staff, Community Housing’s partnership provides a template to accomplish neighborhood revitalization and infill housing to reclaim our communities. Community Housing’s model of an innovative partnership also provides communities with a paradigm that will provide greater flexibility for local decision-making through decreased reliance on specific grant funds.