Three Racine and Kenosha County non-profit organizations will be presented Outstanding Impact Awards at the annual Harborfest:
Celebrating Racine & Kenosha Counties’ event on Thursday, September 19, 2019 at the Racine Zoo. Awards will be given to The Shalom Center for their excellent community programs and outreach, Wolf Engineering Solutions “Lakeview Supermileage Vehicle Team” in recognition of their contribution to education, and Faith Hope & Love for their dedication to children in crisis.
The Outstanding Impact award is a traditional part of Harborfest: Celebrating Racine & Kenosha Counties. It recognizes non-profit organizations, projects and individuals who provide services and programs supporting youth, education, and community and contribute to communal growth in Kenosha and Racine County. They are chosen by the Harborfest Planning Committee based on the information provided by Harborfest participants.
This annual event is a fun, family-friendly community event bringing together nonprofits, education resources, and the public. It provides a platform for sharing of services, resources, and needs. Harborfest: Celebrating Racine & Kenosha Counties’ mission is to engage the public by bridging communities through celebrating accomplishments and promoting opportunities and resources with the vision of a connected region thriving on communal growth. We alternate the event location annually between Kenosha and Racine to provide equal exposure and opportunity. This year it will be held at The Racine Zoo. There are 49 nonprofits participating this year.
About Shalom Center
The Shalom Center’s mission is to serve the community by providing emergency food, shelter, and support in ways that meet immediate needs and respect human dignity. Through food, shelter, and guidance, they help people maximize their potential for self-sufficiency. Shalom Center is a local non-profit providing shelter, food and guidance to the low-income and homeless population in Kenosha County. They have 2 shelter programs; the INNS (Individuals Needing Nightly Shelter) and EFS (Emergency Family Shelter). They have 2 food programs; thePantry (serving over 9,500 un-duplicated households a year) and the Soup Kitchen Network (serving 350 meals nightly in 2 different locations). They also have a Kid’s Succeed After-school and Summer program where they focus on early childhood education, math, reading, and financial literacy. Their goal is to meet people where they are and help them get to their next best place. Shalom Center focuses on providing a safe, fair, effective environment, all the while building HOPE (Helping Other People Everyday). For more information contact Tamarra Coleman at 262-658-1713 Ext 121 or colemant@shalomcenter.org
About Wolf Engineering Solutions “Lakeview Supermileage Vehicle Team”
It is the mission at Wolf Engineering Solutions to provide a learning environment for students to explore alternative solutions to engineer energy efficient vehicles. Through partnership with industry, as well as content experts, students learn and engage in hands on design, fabrication, and testing of energy efficient vehicles. It is the goal of Wolf Engineering Solutions to facilitate and experience that will empower students to explore their curiosity and engage their creativity in developing solutions to tomorrow’s energy needs. LakeView Supermileage Vehicle team believes in paying it forward and giving back to the community. Not only does the team provide an opportunity for students to design and build solutions to the world’s energy crisis,it also believes in volunteering at the “St. Matthews, Elder Garden and “Open Wings,” a school for children with autism. For more information contact Matt Schultz at 262-945-2814 or mjschult@kusd.edu.
About Faith Hope & Love
Faith Hope & Love delivers Duffels for Kids bags – an emergency duffel bag filled with personal care and comfort items for children displaced from their home due to abuse, neglect or a tragedy; to law enforcement, foster care, homeless and domestic abuse shelters, local hospitals and schools in Racine and Kenosha counties. They also deliver BlastPacks – have a blast with law enforcement back packs filled with fun components to help build positive relationships between law enforcement and children in crisis. BlastPacks are distributed to the county jails for children visiting parents that are incarcerated. Their New Beginnings bags are designed to provide basic necessities for the first 48 hours after a child is recovered from human trafficking. They also provide back to school supplies for foster children and Operation Christmas Cheer – a Christmas party for foster children and children whose parents are incarcerated. At the party, each child receives a Christmas gift, new pajamas and socks; along with a great time filled with games, face painting, cookie decorating, and pizza. For more information about this nonprofit please contact Heather Lojeski at 262-902-0556 or hlojeski@gmail.com