December 2005
For more information, contact Jodee Fishman Raines, (248) 203-1487
The Jewish Fund has awarded City Year Detroit with the 2005 Robert Sosnick Award of Excellence.
City Year is a national service program that calls on young people to give a year or more of their lives in full-time service to their communities and country.
17-24 year-olds unite from diverse racial, educational and socio-economic backgrounds for a demanding year of full-time community service, leadership development and civic engagement.
City Year began in Boston and now is in 16 major cities and South Africa. The Jewish community, consisting of The Jewish Fund, Jewish Federation and United Jewish Foundation, joined The Kresge Foundation, Henry Ford Health System and over 20 other funders to bring this program to the Detroit area in 1999.
For the past six years, the Jewish community has sponsored a team of 6-8 young people from diverse backgrounds to provide in-school tutoring, mentoring and other programs for low-income children throughout the City of Detroit.
According to newly elected Jewish Fund Chair Robert Naftaly, “City Year makes a significant difference in the lives of not only the young corps members — by developing their leadership skills and commitment to service — but also the children and other people who benefit from the corps’ programs and activities. It is a highly collaborative program, bringing together key corporations, foundations, government, schools, neighborhoods and individuals to work together to make a difference in the City of Detroit. It also does an excellent job of building bridges between the various communities in metropolitan Detroit, and has provided many people the opportunity to learn more about the Jewish community.”
Accepting the award on behalf of City Year was its executive director, Penny Bailer. The City Year Heroes’ Team also was on hand to lead the audience of over 100 in a spirited performance of “side, forward and back stretches” as part of City Year’s signature PT (physical training).
The Robert Sosnick Award of Excellence was established in memory of Bob Sosnick, whose bold vision and leadership abilities led to the creation of The Jewish Fund. In tribute to Mr. Sosnick and in keeping with the mission of The Jewish Fund, the program selected for the award must be a collaborative, innovative and compassionate effort to improve the quality of life of our most vulnerable populations. Past winners of the Sosnick Award are JVS/JAS-Assisted Meals Program (2000), Kids Kicking Cancer (2001), Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy Network (2002), DMC/Sinai-Grace Hospital’s Comprehensive Heart Program (2003) and the Children’s Dental Health Foundation (2004).
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