‘Home For Everyone' Awards Presented In Ames

Press release from the City of Ames:

April 15, 2021

The Ames Human Relations Commission (AHRC) presented its annual “Home for Everyone” individual award to Tara Brown with The Bridge Home and its organizational award to Wings of Refuge at the Ames City Council meeting held Tuesday.

The “Home for Everyone” award recognizes a worthy individual or organization that has contributed to providing safe, quality, and equitable housing opportunities that enhance the quality of life for members of the Ames community. The Commission presents the award annually during April, which is Fair Housing Month.

An individual award was presented to Tara Brown, shelter manager at The Bridge Home. The Bridge Home, formerly known as Emergency Residence Project, is devoted to bridging the gap between homelessness and housing by providing shelter, support, and inspiring a pathway forward to individuals and families experiencing or on the verge of homelessness.

In nominating Brown, the application stated, “As shelter manager, Tara has created policies and procedures which have led to 70 percent of her clients entering into a housing program or permanent housing upon discharge from the shelter. She has created a strong culture of Housing First – an approach to homelessness assistance that prioritizes providing permanent housing to those experiencing homelessness – within her team and throughout the organization.”

Additionally, Wings of Refuge was honored with an award. Wings of Refuge provides a safe home for women in vulnerable situations. According to the nomination, Wings of Refuge provides healing and opportunity to survivors of sex trafficking to find a new life. Development Director Brandy Young accepted the award behalf of Wings of Refuge, noting that the organization has been able to add an additional home in Ames for women who have survived sex trafficking.

In presenting the two awards, incoming Ames Human Relations Committee Chair Jahmai Fisher thanked the award winners for their efforts to make the Ames community better and bring hope into the lives of so many. Other Commission members in attendance, Wayne Clinton and Madesh Samanu, also expressed their appreciation to the winners.

The AHRC presents the “Home for Everyone Award” and the “Humanitarian Award” every year to individuals or organizations who work to improve the lives of Ames citizens. The Commission's purpose is to study the existence of discrimination in the community and work to minimize or eliminate it, promote goodwill among the various racial, religious, and ethnic groups in the community; and cooperate with other organizations to develop programs designed to eliminate racial, religious, cultural, and intergroup tensions.

More information about all City of Ames boards and commissions can be found at: www.CityOfAmes.org/BoardsAndCommissions

This press release was produced by the City of Ames. The views expressed here are the author’s own.