Little Rock mayor Mark Stodola is one of three mayors to receive top honors in the 2015 CommunityWINS — Working/Investing in Neighborhood Stabilization — Grant Program, administered by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Mayors Stephanie Rawlings-Blake of Baltimore and Christopher Cabaldon of West Sacramento were also honored. The program is funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation.
The awards, presented at the conference’s 83rd Annual Meeting in San Francisco, include monetary grants to city-based nonprofit organizations and “recognize mayors for exemplary leadership in developing local programs that promote long-term economic prosperity and improve the quality of life for residents in three categories: neighborhood stabilization, economic development and job creation,” a news release said.
Stodola was presented $150,000 on behalf of Arkansas Lighthouse for the Blind for its Employment for Individuals Who Are Blind – Inclement Weather Outer Layer (IWOL) project, which provides employment for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, as well as funding for training and machinery accommodations.
An independent panel of judges, selected by the conference, determined the winning cities from a pool of 162 applicants in three populations groups. Read more about the other recipients here.
