Announcing the Winners of the 2nd Annual Olneyville OVie Awards

Jennifer Hawkins, Interim Executive Director of ONE Neighborhood Builders and Mayor Jorge Elorza Congratulate each other on a Year well Done for Olneyville Partnerships

​The 2nd Annual Olneyville OVie Awards, a free public event, was held on Saturday, June 10 at Fete Music Hall, located in the heart of the Olneyville neighborhood. ONE Neighborhood Builders, a NeighborWorks Charter Member, proudly announced award winners in several community service categories. The Providence Health Equity Zone (HEZ) celebrates and recognizes the valuable community contributions made by individuals and businesses to achieve health equity by eliminating health disparities.

The idea is to build community cohesion by engaging residents, partners, and stakeholders to develop a healthier place to live, work, and play. Initiatives and activities focus on physical activity, access to affordable healthy foods, redevelopment of distressed properties, safer streets and recreational areas, access to diabetes prevention and self-management programs, and improved public transportation.​

The festive event provided plenty of food, live entertainment, dynamic speakers, inspiring stories, and a list of dedicated people giving back. Olneyville residents voted from nominees and the winners were announced in front of a packed crowd. Event host Elijah Stephenson, Community Engagement Specialist, YouthBuild Preparatory Academy along with co-hosts Tina Shepard and Kyle Bennett entertained the crowd.

Jennifer Hawkins, Interim Executive Director, ONE Neighborhood Builders stresses the importance of collaboration by stating, "This community celebration highlights the importance of partnerships”. While the winners of the OVie Awards are to be commended, all the nominees have made tremendous contributions to Olneyville. ONE Neighborhood Builders maintains its commitment to working with each of these partners to realize a healthy and equitable neighborhood."

And the winners of the 2017 Olneyville Ovie Community awards are:

• Best in Business: New Kingston Jamaican Restaurant
• Best in Youth Programming: New Beginnings Academy (YouthBuild Preparatory Academy)
• Best in Collaboration: A tie between 1) Manton Avenue Project & Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, and 2) William D’Abate Elementary School and Brown University
• Best Community Resource: Community Action Partnership of Providence
• Best Community Event: “Build a Bed” by YouthBuild Preparatory
• Best in Community Health Impact: Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council
• Best in Services for Underserved Populations: Clinica Esperanza
• Best in Arts, Entertainment, and Culture: Fete Music Hall
  

The following recipients were also recognized and thanked for their valuable neighborhood contributions and exceptional community work:

• Resident Leadership Award: Presented to Iasha Hall, resident and community volunteer, by Providence City Council President Sabina Matos;
• Unsung Hero: Presented to Abelardo Hernandez, resident and Wiliam D’Bate School after-school program volunteer by Dilania Inoa, Program Manager, Howard R. Swearer Center for Public Service;
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Presented to Captain Dean Isabella, Providence Police Department by Deputy Chief Thomas A. Verdi, Providence Police Department;
• Leadership Award: Presented to Dante Alves, Olneyville Youth Council by Elijah Stephenson, YouthBuild Preparatory Academy;
• “Cops with Hearts” Community Policing Award: Presented to Officer Tracie Miller, Providence Police Department by Tina Shepard; and
• Community Investment: Presented to LISC RI by Robert McMahon, Board President, ONE Neighborhood Builders.

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ONE Neighborhood Builders organization identifies resident leaders, organizes community events, builds and renovates housing units for purchase by first-time homebuyers or for rental at affordable rates, provide home ownership classes and counseling; operates ONE Neighborhood Works (a social enterprise landscaping program that employs a crew of four who are 18-24 years of age), and maintains the physical assets of the neighborhoods by employing young people in the neighborhood.
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Sponsored by ONE Neighborhood Builders and NeighborWorks Chartered Members in partnership with the Rhode Island Health Department (RIDOH).

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