The Community Partnership Celebration was a huge success the other night, with many friends and supporters coming out to BRAVO! to enjoy some fellowship and celebrate the work that many of us do in the community. (See the full video here.)
Dr. Dana Carbo-Bryant, Chief Medical Officer at UnitedHealthcare, accepted the “Rusty Turner Memorial Award for Excellence” on behalf of UnitedHealthcare. UnitedHealthcare received this award for providing Families as Allies with high-quality technical assistance on nonprofit fiscal management at no cost to Families as Allies.
Dr. Jacqueline Loggins, Director of Field Education/Clinical Assistant Professor at Jackson State University School of Social Work, receives the “Jo Turlington Memorial Award for Partnership.” Dr. Loggins received the award for her tireless devotion to placing interns with Families as Allies and ensuring they learn and adhere to the values and ethics of all that social work is meant to be.
Angela Abraham Ladner, executive director of the Mississippi Psychiatric Association, accepted the “Tessie Brunini Schweitzer Memorial Award for Accountability” on behalf of the MPA. The organization received the award for its long-term commitment to always basing its advocacy stances on the needs of people with mental illness and for its specific focus on ensuring that hallmark 2023 mental health legislation sponsored by Representative Sam Creekmore included reporting requirements about people needing treatment ending up in jail.
Ellen Reddy with Nollie Jenkins Family Center, Inc. receives the “Helen Reddy Johnson Memorial Award for Valuing Every Child and Family” for always partnering with families in her work to end corporal punishment. Coreaner Price, family partner with Families as Allies, shared how meaningful it is to partner with Ellen on this coalition, and Joy D Hogge, executive director, shared thoughts about the legacies of Ellen and her sister Helen (for whom we named the award) in the state because of their devotion and concern for every child and family.
Along with our award recipients, we’d like to thank our Annual Sponsors: Anonymous (Platinum), Enterprise Mobility Giving (Gold), Joy Hogge in memory of Howard Roffwarg (Gold), Jackson Women for Good (Silver), Disability Rights Mississippi (Bronze), Hapax Creative (Bronze), and Patrick Pankey (Bronze).
Thank you to our Annual Hosts: Changemaker Media Services Inc., Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities, Jackson Association of Educators, Hinds Behavioral Health Services, Mississippi Psychiatric Association, Andrew and Rachel Canter, Brian Johnson and Janet Shanks.