October 15, 2007
The Cameron Foundation recognizes four outstanding local nonprofits with $80,000
PETERSBURG — The Cameron Foundation has selected four local nonprofits to be awarded a total amount of $80,000 for their outstanding community service and organizational management. The awards will be officially presented to Crater Community Hospice, Inc.; Hopewell-Prince George Chapter of the American Red Cross; Petersburg Urban Ministries; and Southside Virginia Emergency Crew, Inc. at The Cameron Foundation’s October Grant Awards Ceremony on October 25.
The awards are the result of two new annual recognition award programs for nonprofit organizations within the Foundation’s service area of Petersburg, Colonial Heights, Hopewell and the counties of Dinwiddie, Prince George, Sussex and the portion of Chesterfield County lying south of Rt. 10.
For the Cleveland A. Wright Award for Outstanding Community Service, members of the community were encouraged to nominate an organization that they felt had demonstrated a commitment to caring and generosity of spirit, as well as openness and accessibility. This award was named in honor of The Cameron Foundation’s first (and current) president for his exemplary and untiring commitment to the Foundation’s mission. By the July 16 nomination deadline, 20 eligible applications had been received. These organizations were then contacted and invited to submit an application form by August 1. Six community members from the region served by The Cameron Foundation and one Foundation board member reviewed the applications and voted to honor Crater Community Hospice, Inc. with an unrestricted $40,000 gift.
For the Excellence in Organizational Management Award, nonprofit organizational staff or board members were encouraged to apply on behalf of their organization. The application process was similar to an internal audit or self-assessment, and organizations were encouraged to use it as an opportunity to measure themselves against national best practices in organizational management. Because of the rigorous nature of the application process, the number of applications received for this award by the August 1 deadline only totaled six, but the Foundation strongly encourages other nonprofits to apply next year.
Six community members from the region served by The Cameron Foundation and one Foundation board member reviewed the applications and voted to honor the Hopewell-Prince George Chapter of the American Red Cross with the first place unrestricted gift of $30,000 for demonstrating excellence in overall organizational management. The review committee also voted to honor Petersburg Urban Ministries and Southside Virginia Emergency Crew, Inc. each with an honorable mention gift of $5,000 for exemplifying excellence in one or more of the specific areas reviewed during the scoring process.
“The review committee for each recognition award was impressed by the quality of the applications,” said Handy Lindsey, Executive Director, The Cameron Foundation. “The number of localities represented and the diversity of organizations that applied for the awards demonstrate that our region is rich with nonprofit resources that provide important public services and that are not only effectively managed, but highly regarded by the public, as well.”
The Cameron Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit organization formed in April 2003 with the proceeds of the sale of Southside Regional Medical Center. The Foundation’s mission is to promote and provide support for programs and activities that improve the health and quality of life of the residents in its service area, which includes those areas historically served by the hospital.