May 8, 2008

Jacksonville, Florida's Clara White Mission Receives 2008 HUD Secretary's Opportunity and Empowerment Award

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and American Planning Association (APA) have named the Clara White Mission of Jacksonville, Florida, recipient of the 2008 HUD Secretary's Opportunity and Empowerment Award. A joint recognition by HUD and APA since 1998, the Secretary's Opportunity and Empowerment Award is given annually to a project that demonstrates improved quality of life for low- and moderate-income community residents.

The award was co-presented to Clara White Mission CEO Ju'Coby Pittman-Peele and Vice President Meg Fisher during APA's 2008 National Planning Awards luncheon and ceremony April 30 in Las Vegas. Presenting the award were HUD Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research Darlene F. Williams; APA President Robert Hunter, FAICP; and APA National Planning Awards Jury Chair Carol Rhea, AICP.

According to HUD: "The Clara White Mission has demonstrated commitment to community development through innovative planning and outreach efforts that truly embodies the spirit of this award."

"The Clara White Mission has been helping the underserved for more than a century," said APA Jury Chair Carol Rhea, noting that "the inspiration for the mission was Clara White, a former slave who served hot soup from her home to the hungry and homeless during the late 1800s."

Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton noted that "the mission has been recognized by our local community for its many outstanding programs offering transitional housing, vocational training, case management, life skills and a drop-in center," adding that the city "strongly endorses [the mission's] efforts to provide housing opportunities for our homeless population."

"We've been called the 'Miracle on Ashley Street,'" said CEO Pittman-Peele. "Our goal, since Clara White's daughter Eartha White established the mission in 1928 as a memorial to her mother, has been to meet the unmet needs of Jacksonville's homeless and disadvantaged."

In 2003 the mission completed construction of a $2.1 million facility that covers 16,000 square feet and includes dormitory rooms, a day center, offices, culinary arts training room, kitchen, laundry facilities, and dining area. Meg Fisher said that an important goal of the mission is to support workforce development and help the chronically homeless regain their footing through job training, social services, and up to 24 months of permanent housing.

For additional information about the Mission, visit its website at www.clarawhitemission.org.

Each year APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), honor outstanding efforts in planning and planning leadership, including cutting-edge achievements and planning under difficult or adverse circumstances. The award winners showcase the planning profession's leaders who help to create great communities and demonstrate the beneficial changes that can take place when planners and community members and leaders work together.

APA's national planning awards, considered by U.S. planners to be the profession's highest honor, is a tradition established more than 50 years ago to recognize outstanding community plans, planning programs and initiatives, public education efforts, and individuals for their leadership on planning issues.

The accomplishments of the Clara White Mission and 11 National Planning Award recipients, also honored at the ceremony, were featured in a 25-minute video shown at the awards ceremony. The award recipients also are highlighted in the April 2008 issue of Planning magazine and on the APA website.

A list of all of the 2008 National Planning Excellence, Achievement, and Leadership Award recipients is available at www.planning.org/awards/2008winners.htm.

Contacts
Meg Fisher, Clara White Mission, 904-354-4162; meg@clarawhitemission.org
Denny Johnson, APA Public Affairs, 202-349-1006; djohnson@planning.org