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Community Corner

Rainbow Village's Nancy Yancey Presented Award

CEO leads innovative transitional program in Duluth to end homelessness for families with children.

The Georgia Alliance to End Homelessness honored Rainbow Village CEO Nancy Yancey with the 2011 Essential Piece Award during a gathering of advocates for ending homelessness in Georgia. Through this award GAEH recognizes annually an individual that truly models service, collaboration and leadership in the mission to end homelessness. Recipients exemplify innovation and exceptional service and offer programs that are making a real impact on ending homelessness in Georgia.

Yancey was shocked to learn that she had even been nominated. As CEO Nancy is the face of Rainbow Village throughout the community, but she is far more comfortable singing the praises of her staff, board, volunteers, community partners and residents than she is touting her own accomplishments.

And she was touched to discover that it was her own staff that nominated her for this prestigious award. Though the organization as a whole has been recognized often through the years, they thought it was time for Nancy to get the personal recognition she deserved for her outstanding leadership and vision. The award was presented to her March 2.

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“Nancy is long overdue to receive recognition for what she has given to the families of Rainbow Village,” said Lynette Ward, Rainbow Village’s director of adult programs. “She is not just the CEO; she is the heart of Rainbow Village.  For 18 years she has been an anchor, an encourager, a believer in people, a voice of reason and inspiration. She’s touched so many lives. I hope that by receiving this award she sees how much we value and appreciate her and her commitment to our mission.” 

Ward speaks from the heart because she was once a resident of Rainbow Village. As a graduate of the program, she understands first-hand the impact this community-based transitional housing program has on the lives of homeless families that pass through. 

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“Thanks to Nancy’s vision and guidance Rainbow Village has evolved into a comprehensive recovery program that enables homeless families to successfully return to a life of self-sufficiency,” said Ward. "I know. I’m living it! We are successfully breaking the cycles of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence one family at a time. Nancy is so committed not only to the mission, but also to each and every person that comes through our doors. She has a huge heart that was made for this very purpose.”

As Rainbow Village, a transitional housing community for homeless families with children in Duluth, celebrates it’s 20th anniversary this year, Yancey is passionately leading the charge to expand the vision for Rainbow Village and the impact it has on the community in the years to come. Exciting new plans, soon to be unveiled, include building a new all-inclusive campus that will allow Rainbow Village to triple the number of homeless families it serves.

“I am truly grateful to receive this award,” said Yancey. "It would be my hope that this recognition will help us draw more attention to the needs of homeless families in our community, build the community’s confidence in the work that we do, and inspire people to become more involved.”

 

 

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