7 minute read
BEAUTIFUL BAKERSFIELD
Winning the Beautiful Bakersfield Chairman's Award means so much to CityServe. Though we are a new nonprofit, CityServe is and has been since day one, 100 percent for the community. It means a lot to us how the work of the faith community is being recognized for its impact on people's lives. When people feel loved and cared Robin Robinson for, and their needs are seen and met, it makes a lasting change. We at CityServe don’t have all the answers, nor does the local church. We’re surrounded by other incredible nonprofits, businesses and agencies that are serving each day with the same heart as ours. Nothing is done alone. We are grateful to play a part in Bakersfield and Kern County. CityServe Kern County is a collaborative network of churches and community leaders connected to help those in need to live better lives. CityServe empowers the local church to fulfill its purpose to overcome despair and transform lives by resourcing them with tangible goods and capacity building. CityServe brings the church to the table to address community challenges by offering long-lasting relationships that lead to transformation. In the past year, the faith community has been able to serve an extraordinary number of families, who are food insecure or lack basic household items. Families who live in remote, isolated and rural areas, many times do not have transportation or the ability to get to where food is distributed. Within almost every neighborhood, there is a local church. CityServe resources our churches, across different denominations, to do one thing: Love their neighbor. CityServe is underneath the local church engaging, resourcing and encouraging them to be a place of not only help, but of hope and support. The church should be an ongoing connection and support to the neighborhood around them. Building a relationship with families in need with return visits is the catalyst that leads people to make sound choices as they navigate through life’s hardships. Throughout 2020, we have been able to reach deep into the community and connect with households that are often unseen, left behind or forgotten. They are the unsheltered, families with young children, seniors, single parents, grandparents raising their grandchildren, and people working multiple jobs to make ends meet. CityServe has partnered with Kern County Public Health for two years in Waste Hunger, Not Food, a school food rescue program. Though the pandemic has slowed down the program, we have moved forward with a plan for a greater impact in the days ahead. A walk-in cooler has recently been completed in our downtown warehouse for the program as we prepare to rescue more unopened, CityServe Kern County
www.cityservekerncounty.com
661-632-6478
Congratulations to the 2020 Chairman's Award Winner!
robin@cityserve.us
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fresh, nutritious foods to feed households experiencing food insecurity. In May, CityServe Kern County was named a “Community of Opportunity and Faith” by the United States Department of Agriculture. This opened the door for us to receive food boxes from the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program. Since June, we have received 41 trucks, 63,765 boxes and have been able to help 23,991 families. These boxes contain fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat, eggs and milk. What a blessing it is to distribute the food boxes through our local neighborhood churches and other community organizations, such as the MLK Initiative and The Mission at Kern County. We are beginning round four of the food box program, which will take us through December. Beyond food, we have been able to provide basic household items from our in-kind supply chain to meet other needs in the community. With a referral system in place, we receive names of people in need from county and city agencies, health care providers, local responders, schools, and other local organizations. Another incredible opportunity to serve the community is in the new M Street Navigation Center, where we train volunteers to work in different capacities. We have seen lives changed in front of our eyes. In our partnership with Bakersfield College and Project HireUp, other opportunities for impact have been created. Through the CityServe Educational Collaborative Center, we can offer educational classes, along with life skills wrap-around classes, mentors, support and encouragement to many who have never had an opportunity to go to school. This program is entirely driven by community collaboration as we work alongside the County of Kern, Employers’ Training Resource, and Bakersfield Adult School. Volunteers from local churches and the community are the power underneath this lifechanging endeavor. We are currently planning six cohorts in 2021 and are looking at other opportunities to bring educational and vocational job skills programming to our community. The City Center downtown is the heart and soul of CityServe. This is where our main warehouse is located, and in just a few short weeks, we will be opening our office headquarters. A strong, dedicated volunteer base is the heartbeat of CityServe as people cheerfully love their neighbor, one person at a time. Many opportunities are available for people to serve at cityservekerncounty.com. It’s hard to put into words our love for Bakersfield. It is an honor to carry the Chairman’s Award this year. We will hold it with humility and pride, knowing that not one person or organization can make a lasting, positive impact alone.
CATEGORIES
A Better Bakersfield
An annual event or project that enhances the quality of life in the community.
Architecture & Renovation
The completion of a brand new interior and/or exterior building design. Or the completion of a renovated design that upgrades an existing structure.
Arts & Culture
Efforts by a group or individual to improve and/or enhance the arts and culture within our community.
Education
Efforts by an educator, project or school/college that promotes or benefits education in our city at all levels.
Health
An individual, group or organization impacting healthy living - above and beyond their normal scope or activities - through education, prevention or medical services.
Humanitarian Group
Humanitarian Individual
Youth
An individual or group under the age of 17 years old that, through personal involvement and endeavors, has answered the challenge of good citizenship.
Young Professional
An individual from 21 to 40 years old whose efforts truly impact and enhance the quality of life in the community.
Business Categories
Business Person of the Year Small Business of the Year
A local business owner/manager A small business (25 employees whose efforts truly impact and or less) whose contributions and/ enhance the quality of life in the or products and services instill community. community pride.
Corporation of the Year Harvey L. Hall Lifetime
The recognition of a corporation Achievement (55+)whose volunteer hours and/or A local long-time community financial donations have made a leader, who has made a lasting meaningful difference. impact to Bakersfield and its
Nonprofit Organization of the Year residents.
Efforts of a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that impacts the community.
Please Note:
Nominations must be for work completed in 2020 to be eligible for consideration.
Nomination Deadline: Monday, March 1, 2021
“Thank God and our thanks to Valley Strong for the money we received. The pandemic has nearly destroyed our family restaurant, but thanks to the subsidy, we will be around. We’re not going away. We have a great clientele and we are blessed to be in business for over 40 years. Thank you, Valley Strong!”
Luigi Rienzo Owner Mama Tosca’s Italian Restaurant
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