Champions for Better Health
Purpose
The Partnership for Better Health’s Champions for Better Health Awards recognize distinguished health equity advocates in our service area. Leaders can represent a multiplicity of backgrounds and industries that play a vital role in advancing the health and wellness of our region. Community members are invited to nominate local champions whose work and service makes our community a healthy place for everyone to live, learn, work and play.
Requirements to be Nominated
Focus Area: The work or service of successful nominees will demonstrate a substantial commitment to addressing health equity and ensuring that all people have the chance to enjoy healthy lives.
Region: All nominees must reside, volunteer, and/or serve in the Partnership for Better Health’s geographic region, which includes Central and Western Cumberland County, all of Perry County, Northern Adams County and Greater Shippensburg. Learn more about our service area.
Timeframe: Nominations are welcomed from projects, activities, and initiatives that are ongoing, or ended within the last year (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025).
Submit your nomination using our online form, or download a paper version.
Recognition Categories
Community members are encouraged to nominate organizations and individuals for review by the selection committee. Partnership staff may also nominate organizations and individuals. Up to nine awards will be given each year.
Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Awards
Honors local organizations who champion the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) in their work. Awards may be given for one or more SDOH categories:
- Economic Stability (e.g. income and employment status; poverty and food insecurity; access to affordable housing)
- Educational Access and Quality (e.g. educational attainment level; access to quality education; health literacy)
- Healthcare Access and Quality (e.g. health insurance coverage; access to healthcare services; quality of healthcare received)
- Neighborhood and Built Environment (e.g. safety and crime rates; access to green spaces and parks; quality of housing and infrastructure)
- Social and Community Context (e.g. social support networks; community cohesion; discrimination and social exclusion)
Nominees for the SDOH Awards will be reviewed using the following criteria:
- Evidence of impactful programs and/or services that responsively meet the health needs of individuals in the community by focusing interventions on one or more SDOH.
- Demonstrated commitment to collaborate with others and/or serve in a leadership role to build healthy communities by addressing one or more SDOH.
- Dedicated commitment to improve the lives of people whose life circumstances make them vulnerable to poor health, and to centering individuals with lived experience by valuing their expertise and incorporating individuals with diverse backgrounds in strategic development and decision-making.
Heather Swartz Volunteer Award
Honors an individual or family who demonstrates exceptional leadership skills in their volunteer activities and plays a major role in advancing the health and wellness of our region. Nominees will be reviewed using the following criteria:
- Evidence of quality leadership and organizational abilities.
- Time, effort, and personal commitment to volunteerism that advances health and health equity, especially among vulnerable populations.
- Demonstrated ability to recruit and motivate others in their commitment to volunteerism.
Nonprofit Professional Award
Honors an outstanding nonprofit professional who has played a vital role in advancing the health and wellness of our region. Examples include but are not limited to nonprofit/community staff and leaders, physicians, clinicians, and teachers. Nominees will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- Evidence of career achievements, length and tenure of commitment to health issues.
- Experience, leadership, creativity and involvement in advancing the health and wellness of our region.
- A commitment to improving the lives of people whose life circumstances make them vulnerable to poor health.
- Demonstrated commitment to continuing professional development and growth (e.g., membership in professional organizations and/or volunteer service)
Community Health Champion Award
Honors an organization or individual who, through encouragement and motivation of others, takes a leadership role in advancing the health and wellness of our region. This may be awarded to an outstanding business, corporation, for-profit firm, government agency, association, health professional, elected official, or individual, and is not intended to include nonprofit professionals and volunteers. Nominees may be evaluated using the following criteria:
- Direct investment of time and/or resources in advancing the health and wellness of our region.
- Demonstrated leadership in building community support for health services, programs, or strategies.
- Support of nonprofit organizations benefiting the lives of community members vulnerable to poor health.
- Use of innovative approaches that inspire employees or others to engage in wellness activities through the workplace. Demonstrated track record of workplace wellness investments.
Lived Experience Award
Honors an individual whose lived experience has greatly impacted work in our community and/or an organization who centered people with lived experience over the past year. Nominees will be reviewed using the following criteria:
- For individuals: time, effort, and commitment to advance health in our community through sharing their voice and wisdom.
- For organizations: the extent to which individuals with diverse backgrounds are valued and engaged in strategic development, guiding work, and decision-making to advance health in our community.