WoodmenLife Congratulates Winners of $10,000 Community Champions Contest
WoodmenLife, a champion of family, community, and country since 1890, recently named the winners of its $10,000 Community Champions contest, which honors U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations performing vital acts of service in communities across the country. The winners were chosen from dozens of candidates nominated this summer.
Friends of the Homeless in Kinston, N.C., was selected as the Grand Prize winner, and received a $6,000 donation to fund its work in Lenoir County. The organization operates a 44-bed emergency shelter that provides temporary housing to transient, homeless, or displaced families and individuals in the Kinston area, giving guests a safe place to stay along with support in their time of need.
Friends of the Homeless plans to use the donation to purchase a commercial refrigerator to better supplement food storage needs, as well as a new dining table and chairs for the men’s side of the shelter.
Four national finalists each received $1,000 donations:
- Bridging the Gap in Newnan, Ga., which provides food, clothing, and household goods to residents who are struggling, along with shower and laundry facilities, case management, and referral services in Coweta County, Ga.
- Your Harvest House in Burleson, Texas, an organization that provides monthly food bundles, clothing, and housewares through its resale store, and one-time financial assistance for rent and utilities to individuals and families in Johnson and Tarrant County, Texas.
- Washington County Public Library in Chatom, Ala., whose two library locations offer reading programs, adult education classes, genealogy workshops, and other special events for residents of all ages.
- Focus Marines Foundation in Ballwin, Mo., which equips post-9/11 military Veterans coping with PTSD, addiction, and isolation, with the tools, peer support, and ongoing follow-up to help them rebuild purposeful lives after leaving the military.
“On behalf of the WoodmenLife chapters and members who actively support their communities year-round, we are honored to recognize Friends of the Homeless and our other national finalists with these tokens of gratitude and the knowledge that the donations will improve the lives of their neighbors and build a stronger community,” said WoodmenLife Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer Kyle McMahan. “Each year, WoodmenLife chapters and members participate in more than 2,700 events and donate more than 123,000 hours toward community improvement projects.”