One community organization working to strengthen Charleston's West Side is receiving national recognition.
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation was one of 10 recipients of the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary's Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships.
Dr. Michelle Foster, the foundation's president and CEO, accepted the award at the Council on Foundations' annual conference in Washington, D.C. on Sunday.
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation was the only West Virginia organization to be recognized.
The foundation's West Side initiative, Investing in Our Communities, was the focus of the award. The initiative concentrates assets within the nine-block area surrounding Mary C. Snow Elementary, according to a press release from the foundation.
The school serves roughly 500 students - more than 90 percent of whom come from low-income families.
Over a three-year period, the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation committed $600,000 to its West Side initiative through three projects, with the goal of improving housing, civic engagement and health conditions.
Those projects include Project West Invest, which provides incentives to law enforcement officers to purchase homes in high-risk neighborhoods; restoring the Second Avenue Community Center, which is the only nearby facility with youth programming for kids who live near Mary C. Snow; and the Handle With Care program, through informed care is provided to Mary C. Snow students who witness traumatic events.
Foster said Monday that while there is still work to be done on the West Side initiative, "we thought the work we're doing deserves to be highlighted."
She noted that the foundation has benefited greatly from its good relationships with state and local agencies.
"I think we are unique to have that collaborative spirit to really make the change we need to see in the community," Foster said.
She also credited public partners that have helped with the initiative, such as Charleston Police Department, Charleston Urban Renewal Authority and Kanawha County Schools.
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.