Gwinett Chamber Honors Local Georgia Family Connection Collaborative
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Ellen Gerstein, executive director of the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services with Nicole Love, associate director at the Pinnacle Award Ceremony. |
The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce recently presented a 2012 Pinnacle Nonprofit Award to the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services, naming the Georgia Family Connection collaborative organization as the prodigious small business of the year for a small nonprofit.
The Gwinnett collaborative organization was honored at a luncheon in April, along with other top nonprofit organizations and businesses, for their generous and inspiring efforts that are seen and felt throughout the county.
“This award highlights for our community the value of our efforts on behalf of children and families in Gwinnett for the past 20 years,” said Ellen Gerstein, executive director of the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services. “It is another tool we can use to show our community that we have the stamp of approval from our award-winning Chamber of Commerce.”
According to Gerstein, Gwinnett’s collaborative comprehensive plan addresses basic needs, health and wellness, education, community engagement, economic and financial security, and safety. Within these six areas are 13 goals, hundreds of strategies and thousands of activities.
“This experience with the Coalition has opened my eyes and broadened my knowledge so much about the many agencies in our county and their contributions and impact they have on so very many of our citizens,” said Barbara Howard, president of Suzanna’s Kitchen Inc. “What would we do without them?”
The county collaborative organization has made much progress on underage alcohol use, tobacco use by teens, and other youth development issues.
“The Coalition, its programs and its participants are where the rubber meets the road when it comes to people helping people in Gwinnett County,” said J.K. Murphy of the Gwinnett Daily Post.
Gwinnett Chamber President & CEO Jim Maran describes the businesses and nonprofits honored with Pinnacle awards as risk-takers, innovators, and givers who create jobs and provide much-needed services for the community, leading to a better quality of life for everyone.
“These are the leaders who are laying the foundation for a bright future full of hopes, dreams and opportunities,” he said in a media release. “For this, these small business owners and nonprofits deserve to be recognized and celebrated.”
The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce first presented the Pinnacle Award in 1983 to the top 25 small business based on numerous critieria. Three years ago, due to the Chamber’s efforts at educating the community about the value of nonprofits through the completion of its nonprofit economic impact study, newspaper articles and “People Helping People” TV show, the Chamber added for the first time ever, the categories of nonprofits.
“I’m always surprised by how well the process of collaboration works,” said Gerstein. “All the great ideas are better than I ever imagined. A whole bunch of people involved in planning and making decisions is always better than just one person’s ideas.”
Contact:
Bill Valladares
GaFCP Communications Director
404-527-7394 (x114)
william@gafcp.org