The Kalamazoo Community Foundation was recently awarded two regional awards and two national awards.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Community Foundation was named one of West Michigan's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. The award recognizes organizations with "innovative and thoughtful" approaches to human resources in the categories of employee enrichment and engagement, diversity and inclusion, work-life balance, communication and shared vision.

"We're honored to be among this group of high-performing organizations," says Kelley Kellis, director of human resources. "Our team is passionate about our mission, and working hard at best practices internally is a vital part of delivering impact externally."

The West Michigan Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America recognized the Community Foundation along with the Battle Creek Community Foundation and United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region with a gold PRoof Award in the Public Service category for its regional Help Now! Fund collaboration. The Help Now! Fund was a philanthropic response to the Feb. 20, 2016 mass shooting, which directly impacted people in Kalamazoo and Calhoun Counties. Rick Chambers & Associates of Kalamazoo also assisted the collaborative effort. Each year the PRoof Awards recognize "the year's best public relations programs, projects and people."

Finally, the American Business Awards recognized the Community Foundation with two Stevie Awards, which "honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals worldwide."

A gold medal was awarded for the video The Power of One, which supported the Community Foundation's 2016 year-end giving campaign. A silver medal was awarded for its 2015 Annual Report, also titled The Power of One, which shared highlights of the Community Foundation's work in 2015. Kalamazoo-based Rhino Media produced the video. The annual report was photographed by Michigan photographer Robert Neumann and printed by Parchment-based RiverRun Press, with project management, design and writing by the Community Foundation's Marketing Communications team.

Judges called the video "upbeat, nicely paced and on message," with "beautiful images combined with effective messaging through interviews." For the annual report, judges cited the theme and photography, saying it was "an excellent example of the organization's mission to create resources that last forever."

Says Joanna Donnelly Dales, who leads the Community Foundation's Donor Relations and Marketing Communications teams, "We're honored to receive these reviews of our work; we hope it is proof of how we strive to serve our donors and nonprofit parters to best benefit the community."

May 10, 2017