United Way of Southwest Michigan honors community’s resiliency with annual “Celebration” awards
For the second year, UWSM’s Celebration takes a different form.
United Way has crafted another unique experience to acknowledge the generosity of donors and the impact made in the community in 2020.
“At the start of the pandemic last year, we used the motto “We were built for this” as a rallying cry—and our community proved it true. Southwest Michigan faced the worst and rose to the challenge—finding strength, giving each other hope, and creating change despite it all,” said Anna Murphy, President and CEO of United Way of Southwest Michigan. “The work is far from over. But there’s no telling what we can do next if we continue to work together.”
Prior to the pandemic, UWSM’s annual Celebration was a live event that included hundreds of guests from the community who gathered to recognize with awards the many organizations and individuals who helped make the previous year a success.
Last year, United Way showed its appreciation to award winners in creative contactless fashion with beautifully designed, hand-delivered “Celebration” packages—and that alternative continues this year.
Award winners are encouraged to photograph or video themselves opening the package and upload them to social media, tagging UWSM and using the hashtag #uwsmcelebration so everyone in the community can see.
In lieu of receiving physical awards this year, winners decided to direct sponsorship funds to the Southwest Michigan Emergency Response Fund.
The 2020 Celebration can be viewed at uwsm.org/celebration.
IMPACT AWARDS
· Excellence in Innovation
Benton Harbor Area Schools
Benton Harbor Charter School
Berrien Regional Education Service Agency
Berrien Springs Public Schools
Brandywine Community Schools
Bridgman Public Schools
Buchanan Community Schools
Coloma Community Schools
Countryside Academy
Eau Claire Public Schools
Lakeshore Public Schools
Mildred C. Wells Academy
New Buffalo Area Schools
Niles Community Schools
River School, Sodus Township #5
River Valley School District
Riverside School, Hagar Township #6
St. Joseph Public Schools
Watervliet Public Schools
Cassopolis Public Schools
Dowagiac Union Schools
Edwardsburg Public Schools
Lewis Cass Intermediate School District
Marcellus Community Schools
Bangor Public Schools
Bloomingdale Public Schools
Covert Public Schools
Decatur Public Schools
Gobles Public Schools
Hartford Public Schools
Lawrence Public Schools
Lawton Community Schools
Mattawan Consolidated Schools
Paw Paw Public Schools
South Haven Public Schools
Van Buren Intermediate School District
Lake Michigan College
Southwestern Michigan College
· Excellence in Impact
Berrien County Health Department
Van Buren/Cass District Health Department
· Excellence in Collaboration
Berrien Community Foundation
· Impact Cabinet Choice
Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency
Meals on Wheels of Southwest Michigan
Feeding America West Michigan
BEST OF AWARDS
· Best Campaign Growth
Area Agency on Aging, Region IV
Dowagiac Union Schools
PACE of Southwest Michigan
Vail Rubber Works Inc.
Michigan Gas Utilities
Pepsi Beverages Company
Ausco Products, Inc.
· Best Community Leadership
Berrien County Cancer Services, Inc.
Cass District Library
Materials Resources
Niles Precision Company, Inc.
Tyler Automotive
Competitive Edge
Martin’s Super Market - Stevensville
Gast Manufacturing, Inc.
1ST Source Bank
· Best Year-Round Partnership
Horizon Bank
K & M Machine Fabricating Inc.
Wolverine Pipe Line Co.
Kinexus Group
Mid-West Family Southwest Michigan
Lake Michigan College
OTHER AWARDS
· Large Corporate Champion of the Year
Honor Credit Union
American Electric Power Company, Inc.
· Medium Corporate Champion of the Year
Cassopolis Public Schools
United Parcel Service
· Small Corporate Champion of the Year
Wolverine Mutual Insurance Company
· Employee Campaign Chair - Large Business
Cathy Cowles - Western Diversified Plastics
Jill Tooman - Western Diversified Plastics
Sue Prudden - Western Diversified Plastics
Shirley Smith-Torp, Palisades Power Plant
Michael Caskey-Mol-Son, LLC
· Employee Campaign Chair - Medium Business
Courtney Driscoll - Gateway Services
· Employee Campaign Chair - Small Business
David Ravitch - Ravitron
· David J. Weichhand Award
Whirlpool Corporation
· Inspired Giving Award
Bronson Healthcare
· Live United Award
Meijer
Michigan Association of United Ways
· Whirlpool Community Commitment Award
United Federal Credit Union
UWSM extends its deepest thanks to:
Presenting sponsor –
Indiana Michigan Power, an AEP Company
Major sponsors –
1st Source Bank
Gast
Kinexus
Spectrum Health
Whirlpool