County of Sonoma Jefferson Awards
2008 Recipients

On Tuesday, March 18, the County of Sonoma presented the prestigious Jefferson Award to three local nonprofit organizations and two individuals for their “Excellence in Community Leadership and Civic Engagement.”

The Jefferson Awards Program is a national recognition system designed to highlight public service to America. It was begun in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, US Senator Robert Taft, Jr., and Sam Beard, staff to Bobby Kennedy. Locally, the program was adopted by the County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors. After an analysis of other local recognition programs, the County’s program was designed to highlight the value of nonprofit organizations, boards, commissions, and advisory bodies, as well as individual efforts for “Excellence in Community Leadership and Civic Engagement.”

The Selection Committee made recommendations across three categories to the Board of Supervisors who, acting as the final judges, chose the top five honorees. They are as follows: 

1. The Committee on the Shelterless (COTS) provides services to homeless persons in Sonoma County by providing safe shelter and housing, helping people develop steady incomes, and helping them get back under a roof of their own. Services are not limited to just finding a living arrangement, they also help people with managing their finances, health issues, finding a job, nutrition, parenting, and more.
   
    
   
   
2. Patricia Robles-Mitten is widely referred to as the matriarch of the Sonoma County Latino community and a connector of diverse community resources spanning the fields of education, health care, philanthropy, human services, business, and women’s issues.
   
   
   
   
3. The Sonoma Valley “Stand By Me” Mentoring Alliance invests in the future of the community by creating and supervising one-on-one long-term relationships between caring adults and at-risk school children in need of academic and social support.
   
   
   
   
4.  Southwest Community Health Center is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to providing excellent, comprehensive primary health care, prevention, and health education to the to the uninsured and underinsured
   
   
   
   
5. Linda Stevick is a volunteer for the Valley of the Moon Children’s Home and Redwood Children’s Center who provides support to children in crises and has served as a volunteer teaching assistant, transportation coordinator and mentor for foster youth age 14 through 22.
   
   

The County of Sonoma is proud of and grateful to these agencies for their outstanding service to our community. They exemplify the spirit of the Jefferson Award for public service in their Excellence in Community Leadership and Civic Engagement.

Press Release in printable format - March 25, 2008 (151 k)

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National Jefferson Awards Program (1.74Mb)

The Jefferson Awards Program is a national recognition system designed to highlight public service to America. It serves as a complement to local recognition efforts, tying winners into regional and national media systems. The Jefferson Awards began as a part of the American Institute for Public Service in 1972 and was established by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, U.S. Senator Robert Taft, Jr., and Sam Beard, a staffer to Bobby Kennedy. More information about the national program can be found at www.jeffersonawards.org.

At the national level, this prestigious award has given to many well-known figures over the years such as Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, Cesar Chavez, Lance Armstrong, John Glenn, Paul Newman, Opray Winfrey, Rosalynn Carter and Barbara Bush. The national board of selectors includes many well known figures. Out of a concern for a national commitment to civic engagement, with corporate sponsorship and regional media partners, the award program continues to spread into local communities.

Regionally, media partners such as CBS 5, The San Francisco Chronicle, and KCBS-AM have been promoting the Jefferson Awards throughout the Bay Area. Several counties and cities along with many non-profits participate in holding their own local program and then submit nominees to the regional competition.

With the support of the Board of Supervisors, we are bringing the program to Sonoma County. Sonoma County award winners may be submitted for regional and national consideration. We encourage and applaud existing volunteer recognition programs and hope that the Jefferson Awards will only serve to further highlight the strength of our community and promote civic engagement in solving community problems.

After an analysis of the many existing local recognition programs, the criteria for awards in Sonoma County were developed as outlined on the pages that follow and has been titled “Excellence in Community Leadership and Community Involvement.”

Excellence in Community Leadership and Community Involvement

Non-profit Award for “Excellence in Community Leadership and Community Involvement”
• Agency provides services in Sonoma County
• Agency can demonstrate positive impact on community need
• Agency has volunteer program that promotes volunteer involvement
• Agency can demonstrate leadership and innovation with high degree of customer satisfaction or impact on community need
   
Boards/Commissions/Advisory Councils Award for “Excellence in Community Leadership and Community Involvement”:
• Award can go to individual members of a non-profit board, county/city commission or advisory council or to the body itself, in Sonoma County
• Must have demonstrated leadership in dealing with a community issue or need
• Must have gone above and beyond expectations of the role of a board/commission/member
• Must have developed innovative solution in addressing community need
   
Individual Action Award for that one person whose efforts have made a difference in our community through volunteer service demonstrating individual “Excellence in Community Leadership and Community Involvement”:
• Individual must have demonstrated leadership and/or innovation in dealing with a community issue or need in Sonoma County
• Individual’s volunteer work must have measurable impact on community need
• Individual’s work must have had wide-ranging impact

CONTACT: Tom Richardson - trichard@sonoma-county.org

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