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Our 12th Annual Community Development Family Reunion will take place Thursday, April 25, 2024! We’ll be gathering at the beautiful Missouri Foundation for Health.

Come celebrate our 2024 Community Building Awardees at the 12th Annual Community Development Family Reunion on Thursday, April 25th from 5-8pm at the Missouri Foundation for Health. The event includes hors d'oeuvres, drinks and networking among ~200 community development trailblazers and changemakers in the region.

New this year: Stop through our selfie booth from DigiBooths! If you're hosting an event there's no better way to celebrate than with a photo booth from DigiBooths. They are part of the DigiGroup Entertainment family, your source for anything event related including DJs, you can see a full roster at Pittsburgh Digital DJs!

Strong Communities. Strong St. Louis

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Strong Communities. Strong St. Louis 〰️

Highlights from our 2023 Annual Awards Event

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 11th Annual Community Development Family Reunion at the Intersect Arts Center on April 20th, 2023..Enjoy some fun pictures of our evening together, celebrating leaders and changemakers who are building strong, inclusive St. Louis neighborhoods.

The “St. Louis Community Development in Action” Photography Exhibit

In partnership with the Humans of St. Louis, CBN curated a series of personal stories about the impact community development activities has had throughout the St. Louis region. Building better neighborhoods doesn’t happen overnight and these stories showcase local champions who work tirelessly everyday to revitalize our communities.

Our 2023 awardees+honorees stories

 

Community Building Awards

Our Annual Community Building Awards celebrate people, organizations, governments, corporations, small businesses, and institutions who work hard to make our local neighborhoods safe, healthy, and welcoming places to live.

Each year, awardees are selected by a committee of peers and past awardees. Special thank you to our 2024 awards selection committee members: Alana Green, Becky Reinhart, Dana Malkus, Joseph Cavato, Jessica Payne, Kerri Bonasch, Latasha Barnes, Michele Duffe, Nancy Thompson. Nikki Woelfel, Peter Hoffman, Tonnie Glispie-Smith, Kristen Polchinski, Loura Gilbert, and Tom Pickel.

Past awards have recognized community building dedication and impact in the public and nonprofit sectors, banking, business, philanthropy, the faith-based community, and resident leadership. Click to take a look at the criteria for each award.

Collaboration & Coalition Building

Recognizes a person, organization, institution, or initiative that:

  • Demonstrates incredible commitment to working through partnerships, even when it’s more challenging than “going it alone.”

  • Forges new connections that bridge gaps between people, organizations, and places that don’t normally interact with each other in the St. Louis region.

  • Shows up for others and participates directly in their work; does not only ask or expect that partners and collaborators come to them.

  • Approaches difficulty and conflict with understanding, compassion, and an open mind.

Growing in Equity & Antiracism

Recognizes a person, organization, institution, or initiative that:

  • Demonstrates a deep and honest commitment to transforming work being done in the St. Louis region so that it is more equitable, just, and antiracist.

  • “Walks the talk”—goes beyond verbal commitments to ask hard questions, embrace and push through discomfort, work to rectify inequities where they exist, and take action.

  • Actively works to dismantle systems of oppression.

Transparency & Trust

Recognizes a person, organization, institution, or initiative that:

  • Works with honesty and openness and isn’t afraid to be vulnerable, especially when things don’t go as planned.

  • Co-creates work with the people and partners they serve and works to build shared trust so that all at the table feel supported and valued as part of the process.

  • Embraces mistakes and weaknesses in the open as opportunities to learn and grow.

Resident Leadership

Recognizes a person who:

  • Has shown incredible volunteerism and involvement in their community and/or community initiatives.

  • Goes above and beyond typical resident action to sit on boards, head committees, and/or encourage the engagement of other residents.

  • Works to challenge the status quo in the St. Louis region.

Rising Star in Community Building

Recognizes a person who:

  • Demonstrates strong dedication to and passion for community building work.

  • Exhibits leadership, vision, and a commitment to action and results.

  • Shows promising potential to catalyze outstanding impact in community building policy, investment, and/or community change.

  • Works to challenge the status quo in the St. Louis region.

Lifetime Dedication to Community Building

Recognizes a person who:

  • Has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to community building work.

  • Has exhibited leadership, vision, and a commitment to action and results.

  • Has catalyzed outstanding impact in community building policy, investment, and/or community change.

  • Has worked to challenge the status quo in the St. Louis region.