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Several York organizations honored in Nonprofit Innovation Awards [The York Dispatch, Pa. :: ](York Dispatch, The (PA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) March 08--The York County Literacy Council has been awarded for providing a library program for those learning to read. The literacy council received a 2014 collaboration award and $2,000 at the 15th annual Nonprofit Innovation Awards breakfast last month at the Lancaster Marriot hotel in Lancaster County by the Central Penn Business Journal. York Reads: The literacy council, at 800 E. King St. in York, created the York Reads program to encourage its students to explore reading materials made available through the cooperation of York County Libraries. The program was launched in March 2013. The literacy council has books and issues library cards, said Bobbie Anne DeLeo, the literacy council's executive director. "It's such a beautiful partnership and we're just thrilled the (award) judges recognized the wonderful benefit of York Reads in the York community," she said. "We create new readers and the library provides materials for anywhere they want to go in their reading or in life." DeLeo said the award money could be used to upgrade the council's library area or to purchase materials for the GED program. Runner-up: Special Olympics Pennsylvania York County was runner-up in the collaboration category for working with York College to run the Special Olympics' spring games last May, said Kellee Terroso, the organizations' manager. "This collaborative effort is so important with the (York College) students athletes volunteering and cheering on our athletes," Terroso said. "It provided such a great environment for our athletes." The $1,000 awarded to Special Olympics will be used to help fund its 34th annual Spring Games on Saturday, May 10, at York College, she said. Award for apples: Family First Health won a $1,000 runner-up award in the brand identity/unique marketing campaign category for a "good health starts with apples" campaign done in October. The organization handed out close to 2,000 apples and information handouts to the public in downtown areas of York, Hanover and Gettysburg, to attendees of senior centers in York and Adams counties, to local businesses and to patients who were referred to Family First Health facilities, said Jenny Englerth, Family First Health's chief executive officer. "Distributing apples gave us opportunities to talk to people about their health habits, what they can do to improve their health, and how they could be more involved in their health care," said Englerth. The organization provides health and dental care and social services in the city, Lewisberry, Hanover and Gettysburg. The award money will be used for future health-based activities, including a "we do eat our greens" campaign in April. Byrnes Health Education Center, TrueNorth Wellness Services, Leg Up Farm, YWCA York, Junior Achievement of South Central PA, and Hillary Hasson, executive director of Center for Independent Living Opportunities, were all finalists for Nonprofit Innovations Awards in various categories. --Reach Eyana Adah McMillan at [email protected]. ___ (c)2014 The York Dispatch (York, Pa.) Visit The York Dispatch (York, Pa.) at www.yorkdispatch.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |