PATRICIA C. REMMER ADVOCACY AWARDS

OVERVIEW

Each year, two awards are given to First Coast Girls Initiative(FCGI) Member Organizations in honor of Patricia C. Remmer and the Remmer Family Foundation. The two categories are: Program Advocate and Volunteer Advocate. All FCGIMember Organizations, their employees and volunteers are eligible to be nominated in the appropriate category.

The persons selected will receive recognition on the FCGI website, an award,as well as a monetary award($250 for winner; $500 for organization) presented at the Annual FCGI Holiday Celebration on December 6th, 2017 from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm. Organizational Advocacy recipients will receive one free year of membership to the First Coast Girls Initiative. Selected organizations and their candidates will be contacted the fourth week in Octoberso they can plan to be present. However, winning candidates do not have to be present to win.

ELIGIBILITY

  • Nominees must have a connection to an FCGI Member Organization that offers girl responsive programming.
  • Volunteer Advocate Nominees may be an individual, couple, or group who have direct program related experience with girls.
  • Applications must be complete with all attachments.
  • The current FCGI Chair’s Organization is not eligible to apply for any awards during their leadership term and shall act as a liaison to the selection committee.

NOMINATING PROCEDURE

  • Candidates shall be nominated by their supervisor, co-workers and/or outside agency or volunteer.
  • All applications must be signed off by the Executive Director/CEO of the organization applying. When Executive Director is the nominee, the Board Chair’s signature is required. An incomplete or unsigned nomination form disqualifies the nomination.
  • Please limit one nominee per award category and complete a full nomination form for each.
  • Nominating form must be filled out completely and legibly.
  • Please submit the application forms and related attachments via e-mail to: .
  • Nomination form must be received by5:00 p.m. – September 30, 2017.
  • A selection committee will review the nominations and select a deserving individual in each category.

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Must be able to show direct advocacy efforts for girls and girls programming along with a positive impact on the lives of girls in Northeast Florida.
  • Must represent the Mission of the First Coast Girls Initiative.
  • One who excels and goes “above andbeyond” the call of duty.
  • One who consistently works well directly with members, colleagues and volunteers, and is always willing to help when the need arises.

Mission Statement

To build the capacity of individuals and organizations to serve girls more effectively and efficiently through gender responsive education and advocacy.

Vision Statement

The vision of the First Coast Girls Initiative is that every girl experiences a community that embraces and supports gender equity and values the female perspective.

History

Organized in 2001, the First Coast Girls Initiative (FCGI) was the creation of three amazing women, Patricia, Ellen and Susan (Ryzewic) Remmer. The two sisters with their mother Pat made a conscious effort to focus their time, talent and treasure on improving the lives of girls. The Remmers wanted to see replicated in Jacksonville the benefits the Boston community accrued from a girls’ coalition established there in the early 1990s. Having participated with the Boston Girls Coalition, the three women understood the positive impact that a collaborative effort could have in our city and took on the challenge of creating a coalition of agencies with a focus on girls.

The Remmers enlisted Dr. LaWanda Ravoira from PACECenter for Girls, Inc. state office and Shirley Webb from the Women’s Center of Jacksonville to help organize and facilitate the initial meetings. The group studied existing research on girls and community coalition models, considered many local concerns and identified immediate priorities. Through a generous Reflective Practice grant from the Community Foundation and The Jessie Ball DuPont Fund, FCGI was able to evolve, over the next several years, from study to strategy, and identified a collective vision, mission, guiding principles while maintaining the main goal of the Remmers of collaboration and advocacy.

The FCGI was officially launched in October 2002. In 2003, the Leadership Team, represented by the executives from each of the over 25 member organizations, was formed. This team exists today and has a formal chairperson with a one year term.

FCGI hosted the 1st Annual Growing Great Girls Workshop in spring of 2006 in which over 60 professionals interested in girls attended. After that inaugural event, the FCGI Leadership Team held a strategic planning retreat which resulted in refining the mission, created working committees around Education & Advocacy, Outreach and Evaluation as well as a commitment to offer three Growing Great Girls Workshops per year utilizing the expertise of professionals within our member organization as well as nationally renowned speakers.

This year, First Coast Girls Initiative will embark on a broader strategic plan to address the issues of outcomes, more intense community collaboration and general advocacy for girls. Our hopes are that all adults interested in the health, well being and rights of girls will join our initiative.

Guiding Principles
  • We value the female perspective and experience.
  • We believe all girls deserve a safe, gender responsive environment in which to grow.
  • We believe all girls are capable of achieving their goals.
  • We believe that supporting girls’ health, education, spirituality and well-being is an investment in our future.
  • We are committed to listening to girls and valuing their wisdom.
  • We promote the leadership of girls and their inclusion in decision-making.
  • We seek to represent all girls inclusive of religion, creed, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status and disability.
  • We encourage and celebrate every girl’s unique identity and value her individuality.
  • We believe qualitative and quantitative research is a critical element in the development of programs and policies affecting girls.
  • We advocate and support positive social change to include policy and legislation that empowers girls and young women.
  • We work to build partnerships and collaborations on local, regional, state and national levels.


2017 ENTRIES
PATRICIA C. REMMER ADVOCACY AWARDS

Organization Name: ______

(Check and fill in appropriate boxes and spaces and enclose this form with your entries.)

Program Advocate

Nominee______

Volunteer Advocate

Nominee______

All entries must be received by: 5:00 p.m. – September 30, 2017

Email to:

Mail to: FCGI

Attn: Advocacy Award Selection Committee

P.O. Box 43377

Jacksonville, FL 32203


Patricia C. Remmer Advocacy Awards
PROGRAM ADVOCATE AWARD 2017
NOMINATION FORM

MEMBER ORGANIZATON INFORMATION

Name of Nominee: ______

Title: ______

Member Organization: ______

Address: ______

Nominated by: ______Title:______

Organization’s Address: ______

Contact Name:______Email: ______

Telephone: ______

CEO / ED Signature: ______

In 300 words or less, tell why you think this individual should be named “PROGRAM ADVOCATE” by the FirstCoast Girls Initiative. Include the significant contributions made to girls and your organization.(Use attachment if necessary.)

Nominee’s Name: ______Organization: ______

What else should the committee know about your nominee? (300 words or less)

Please include significant awards or achievements, community involvement (political, social, civic, etc.)

Patricia C. Remmer Advocacy Awards
VOLUNTEER ADVOCATE AWARD 2017
NOMINATION FORM

______

Name of Member Organization: ______

Address: ______

Telephone: ______

CEO / ED Signature: ______

CATEGORIES(Choose only one)

____Individual

____Couple/Group

NOMINEE (Individual)

Name: ______

Number of volunteer hours with Organization: ______

Length of volunteer service with Organization: ______

Type of volunteer service: ______direct program ______organization support function

NOMINEE (Couple/Group)

Name of Group: ______

Contact Person: ______

Number of volunteer hours during eligible period: ______

Number of employees/members involved in volunteer effort during eligible period: ______

Length of volunteer service with Organization:______

Type of volunteer service: ______direct program ______organization support function

DESCRIPTION OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE(Please summarize the volunteer service/activity provided by the nominee in no more than two double-spaced, typed pages).

Include the following:

  • Describe the volunteer service/activity performed by the nominee.
  • What role did the nominee play in initiating the service/activity?
  • What was the impact of the nominee’s volunteer service/activity on your organization, the girls you serve and community?
  • What unusual problems or challenges did the nominee face in this volunteer service/activity?
  • Why does this person/couple/group deserve this award? Include any interesting or unusual information about the nominee.

Pertinent supplementary information (no more than four pages) may be submitted along with this nomination. This may include letters, newspaper clippings, photos, etc.

Please include captions with attachments indicating why the photo and/or etc. are relevant to the entry.