The Community Collaborative of Tahoe Truckee recently recognized Candice Harris, Monina Vazquez, Paul Bancroft, Anibal Cordoba-Sosa, Teresa Crimmens, and Deidre Ledford for their outstanding service to the Truckee-North Tahoe community.

According to a news release, the Community Collaborative of Tahoe Truckee, a program of the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, is a partnership of nonprofit and public organizations working together to address the fundamental needs of families in the Tahoe Truckee Region. The Collaborative is made up of over 45 health, social service, education and community-based organizations who collaborate, network, and work together to maximize resources for children, families and seniors. The Collaborative’s Annual Awards recognize the work of local advocates who work behind the scenes to create a supportive community.

The Public Service Award of Excellence recognizes one standout individual who goes above and beyond in their daily work with clients. The 2019 Public Service Award of Excellence was presented to Harris for her dedicated service to kids and her leadership among her colleagues. She is the Director of Clubhouse Services at the Boys and Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe. She provides staff development and training and works directly with youth.

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The Chris Ballin Award honors those who advocate for cultural competency, equality and social justice in our community, in memory of the founder of La Comunidad Unida in the 1980s. This year, the Chris Ballin Award was given to Vazquez in recognition of her years of work with families throughout the North Tahoe community. She is a peer educator, working with the Promotora program at Sierra Community House. She is a leader and advocate for issues impacting local families and her advice and mentorship is sought by many.

The Partner of the Year Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding collaboration in our community. In 2019, the Collaborative extended the Partner of the Year to four individuals: Bancroft, Cordoba-Sosa, Crimmens and Ledford. These four recipients were nominated for their tireless work behind the scenes as the executive directors merging their four nonprofits together: Family Resource Center of Truckee, North Tahoe Family Resource Center, Project MANA and Tahoe SAFE Alliance).

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“These four agencies merged to become Sierra Community House in July 2019,” the release states, “ and through Paul, Teresa, Anibal and Deidre’s work, regional collaboration has reached a new level in Tahoe Truckee and their efforts will ultimately result in a broader reach to serve the Truckee-North Tahoe area more effectively and efficiently.”