Press Release Contact: Clarice Z. Smith
Press Officer
(646) 839-3318
csmith@manhattan-institute.org
New York, NY: The Manhattan Institute’s Social Entrepreneurship Initiative is proud to announce the five winners of its Sixth Annual Social Entrepreneurship Award. The Initiative honors nonprofit leaders who have found innovative, private solutions for some of America’s most pressing social problems with little or no government financial aid.
The awards will be presented in New York City in the fall by Initiative director Howard Husock, who is also Manhattan Institute Vice President of Programs and City Journal contributing editor.
All nominations are submitted to the Social Entrepreneurship Selection Committee. After review and discussion, the Committee selects up to ten nominees as semi-finalists. Each semi-finalist is then contacted by Howard Husock, who interviews the entrepreneur and arranges for a site visit. Following receipt of Husock’s report, the Committee selects up to five award winners.
Gifts of $10,000 are presented to the organization founded or led by the award winner.
This year’s winners include dynamic and innovative leaders from across the country:
Richard C. Liebich, Project Lead The Way, Clifton Park, NY
www.pltw.org
Recent studies indicate that the United States lacks new graduates qualified for jobs in high-tech fields, which may undermine our economic prosperity and way of life. Project Lead The Way (PLTW) was established in 1997 to help schools give students the knowledge they need to excel in high-tech fields. PLTW seeks to create partnerships with the nation’s schools to prepare an increasing and more diverse group of students to be successful in engineering and engineering-technology programs at the post-secondary level. PLTW’s goal is to increase the number, quality, and diversity of engineers.
Sister Mary Lou Kownacki, Inner-City Neighborhood Art House, Erie, PA www.eriebenedictines.org/arthouse.html
Sister Mary Lou Kownacki founded the Inner-City Neighborhood Art House (NAH) in 1994 to bring art and culture into the lives of the inner-city children of Erie, PA. NAH provides free after-school programs in the visual, performing, and literary arts to at-risk children. The classes are designed to increase children’s self-confidence and creativity, while developing self-discipline and skills that can be transferred to home, school, and the workplace. More than 600 students participate in the program, and the NAH has been approached by 30 other cities interested in establishing similar programs.
Paige T. Ellison, Project K.I.D.—Responding to Kids in Devastation, Fairhope, AL
www.project-kid.org
Americans are sadly familiar with the failed response that followed Hurricane Katrina. But amidst the problems and confusion, at least one bright spot from the nonprofit sector emerged. Established in response to Hurricane Katrina, Project K.I.D. delivers emergency “respite” child-care services in areas devastated by disasters. Paige T. Ellison, founder and president, was appalled to see children wandering around unsupervised and distraught in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Six days later, Ms. Ellison set up the first “play care” site to give children a protective and restorative environment where they could play and laugh again. The goal is to raise funds to screen, hire, train, and pay local personnel to provide “play care” services at sites throughout disaster-stricken areas.
Aaron Hurst, Taproot Foundation, San Francisco, CA
www.taprootfoundation.org
Nonprofits operate on a tight budget and often struggle to find support to meet their critical infrastructure-building needs. Meanwhile, many professionals want to, but don’t know how to help these nonprofits by working for them pro bono. The Taproot Foundation was created in 2001 to bridge this gap and strengthen nonprofit organizations by engaging business professionals in service. Its model emulates the best practices and resources of leading professional-services organizations to effectively deliver consistent, high-quality services at no cost to local nonprofit organizations.
Amy Hamlin, Volunteers in Medicine Institute, Burlington, VT
www.vimi.org
Many Americans unable to afford health insurance do not receive the primary care necessary to prevent serious health problems. Volunteers in Medicine Institute (VIM) promotes and guides the development of a national network of free clinics, emphasizing the use of retired medical and lay volunteers to care for the “working uninsured” within a culture of caring so that everyone in a community has access to health care. Each VIM clinic is organized, owned, and operated by its community, and provides a local solution to the problem of the uninsured. Today, 46 VIM clinics have been established in 24 states, and VIM’s goal is to open an additional 250 clinics by 2010.
For more information on the Manhattan Institute Social Entrepreneurship Initiative, please visit www.manhattan-institute.org/html/social_entrepreneurship.htm
The Manhattan Institute, a 501(c)(3), is a think tank whose mission is to develop and disseminate new ideas that foster greater economic choice and individual responsibility.
www.manhattan-institute.org