Announcing the 2019 Civic Impact Awards Winners!
The Center for Civic Innovation held Atlanta's fourth annual Civic Impact Awards on Thursday, December 12, 2019. Atlanta is home to some of the world's most powerful social movements. It is built on a history of people coming together to tackle challenges bigger than their own. We started the Civic Impact Awards in 2015 to shed light on the work of dedicated and effective organizations in Atlanta. They are a reminder that amazing things are happening in our city every day.
Our awards, like our work, are a community-driven process, and in that spirit we asked our friends, supporters, really everyone in the Greater Atlanta area to nominate organizations who are on the ground every day, working to tackle inequality by empowering and fighting for people and communities. In true ATLien fashion, we received close to 200 nominations! With the help of outside judges, we whittled this impressive group down to just four finalists in each category, and announced the winners live at our Civic Impact Awards celebration!
Community Engagement Award
Soulstice, Inc.
This organization pairs civic education with experience-based learning opportunities to empower and reach middle school and high school students at King Middle School and in the Jackson Cluster to know and fight for their rights. These students have been able to defend briefs on legal issues that are important to them in front of Georgia Supreme Court Justices, attorneys, and other major decision-makers in the city.
Government Innovation Award
Atlanta/Fulton Pre-Arrest Diversion
The Atlanta/Fulton Pre-Arrest Diversion Initiative is an immediate alternative to jail for individuals whose actions are connected to mental health challenges, substance use, or extreme poverty. PAD works closely with city, county, and community partners to develop alternative responses and resources that address the needs of people most impacted by the criminal justice system. In its first two years, PAD has trained over 100 police officers as well as security personnel, business owners, and community residents on non-punitive responses to quality of life concerns and has accepted over 160 diversion referrals.
Investing in Impact Award
Southerners on New Ground (SONG)
SONG’s mission is to highlight the crisis of cash bail. They provide social service support and advocacy training for Black mothers and caregivers in the Atlanta and Fulton county criminal justice systems. In 2019, they helped bail out over 45 Black Mamas on Mother’s Day. Their efforts are instrumental in reimagining the criminal justice system as a whole.
Investing in Impact Award
The Giving Kitchen
The Giving Kitchen provides emergency assistance to food service workers through financial relief and a network of community resources to interrupt the cycle of poverty in the foodservice industry. In just six years, Giving Kitchen has given nearly a quarter of a million dollars in emergency financial assistance to over 600 individual food service workers and their families, and they have cultivated a network of nearly 200 social service providers to effectively connect workers to time-sensitive health care, housing, and legal services.
Doin’ The Work Award
Terri-Nichelle Bradley | Brown Toy Box
Our Doin’ the Work Award is a peer-selected award that was created to recognize an individual in the CCI Fellowship Community that represents the values of what it means to be a fellow. This is for a person who is not only leading by example, but also finds ways to support and elevate the work of their peers.
Brown Toy Box produces children's products and exposure experiences designed to encourage and prepare black children to pursue interests and careers in STEAM.
A huge congratulations to these amazing winners, and to ALL the finalists of the awards this year. Be sure to check out all the photos from the evening here.
#GoodTrouble Award
We also gave out a surprise award! In honor of Congressman John Lewis, we gave the 2019 #GoodTrouble Award to our teammate, Kyle Kessler. Well beyond his role over the past 5 years at the Center for Civic Innovation, Kyle has poured his life-preserving our city's historic buildings and spaces. He genuinely cares about the voice of the community being at the table. You can find him listening to the concerns of residents in South Downtown, meeting with entrepreneurs who are working on closing the local jail or bringing art to our public spaces, and you'll definitely see him at City Hall, holding leaders accountable to the communities they represent. He is a selfless advocate, brilliant mind, and kindhearted soul. We're so grateful to work with him every day. Atlanta is better because of him. We love you, Kyle!
Feeling inspired?
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