The Housing Heroes Award Luncheon is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the incredible service providers within the All Neighbors Coalition. The service providers working in our homeless response system are truly changing lives. In 2023, the All Neighbors Coalition has increased housing placements across our system by 160% compared to where we were in 2019. We have housed over 2,700 unhoused neighbors through the R.E.A.L. Time Rehousing Initiative and have decreased unsheltered homelessness by 14% and chronic homelessness by 32%.
This year’s Housing Heroes Award Luncheon has been reimagined to celebrate even more of our Housing Heroes. During the luncheon, we celebrated 11 award categories with a winner and a runner–up. The nominations for these awards come from members of our All Neighbors Coalition, they were voted on by an Independent Review Committee and Housing Forward leadership. Thank you to each and every person who nominated a colleague in this work.
And the 2023 winners are…
Rookie of the Year
This award was designed to recognize an individual or organization who is new to working in the homeless response system (a year or less) and has already made a significant contribution to their organization or the homeless response system as a whole.
Winner: Quinton Fowlkes
Runner-up: Jessica Esquivel
Motivational Mentor of the Year
This is a special recognition reserved for an individual who lends their wisdom and support to mentor others in the homeless response system, someone who exemplifies the characteristics of compassion, empathy, and a good rapport with their clients and colleagues, someone who seeks to encourage, mentor, freely share their wisdom and expertise.
Winner: Robin Craddock
Runner-up: Linda Tucker
HMIS Agency of the Year
This prize was selected by our internal team for the agency that goes above and beyond to ensure the accuracy of data, which helps serve our neighbors more efficiently. Data accuracy is key to ensuring our neighbors receive the care they need and helps us, as a community, advocate for more funding through accurate data reporting and more.
Winner: Metro Relief
Runner-up: Dallas Life
Community Advocate of the Year
The Community Advocate of the Year is designed to recognize an individual or group dedicated to advocating for those experiencing homelessness, a public servant dedicated to raising awareness and inspiring action to end homelessness.
Winner: Peter Miller
Runner-up: Ebony Wingard
Street Outreach Worker of the Year
Our street outreach strategy has completely shifted as a community in recent years and we are so grateful to the street outreach teams who help us engage our more vulnerable neighbors who are living outside.
Winner: Chantay Johnson
Runner-up: Tammy Chan
Housing Navigator of the Year
his award recognizes a Housing Navigator who exemplifies the characteristics of compassion, empathy, and a good rapport with their clients and colleagues, employs problem-solving skills when working with our neighbors, works to build trust and overcome barriers unhoused neighbors may face in being ready for housing such as gaining critical identification, finding units for neighbors with obstacles in their background, focuses on housing conversations and seeks to obtain permanent housing for all neighbors experiencing homelessness.
Winner: Detra Dixon
Runner-up: Hilary Moore
Case Manager of the Year
This award is a special recognition reserved for a Case Manager working with unhoused neighbors in the Homeless Response System in Dallas and Collin Counties. This award seeks to recognize a Case Manager who exemplifies the characteristics of compassion, empathy, and a good rapport with their clients and colleagues, employs problem-solving skills when working with our neighbors, and seeks to obtain permanent housing for all neighbors experiencing homelessness.
Winner: Nicosha Johnson
Runner-up: Sharron Gray
Unsung Hero of the Year
The Unsung Hero award is designed to recognize an individual who contributes to the success of an organization through their role. This individual does not need to be in a direct service role but could be in a support role in the organization. The award is designed to provide an opportunity to recognize those who go above and beyond to end homelessness by working in a support role.
Winner: Johnny Sierra
Runner-up: Katerah Johnson
Equity Champion of the Year
The Equity Champion of the Year is designed to recognize an individual or organization who prioritizes and advocates for equity across their organization and the broader community. We know that the inequities in our community have led to many of our neighbors struggling to find and maintain housing so it is critical that we continue to focus on forming an equitable housing system that responds to each neighbor‘s needs.
Winner: Sidney Yerger
Runner-up: Sharmeene Hayes
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award is designed to recognize an individual who has worked in the homeless response system for 10 years or more and made significant contributions toward reducing homelessness in Dallas and Collin Counties. This award seeks to recognize an individual who exemplifies the characteristics of compassion, empathy, and a good rapport with their clients, colleagues, and the broader homeless response system. This advocates and seeks to obtain permanent housing for all neighbors experiencing homelessness in their role.
Winner: Dr. David Woody, III
Runner-up: Lisa Rodgers
Lived Experience Advocate of the Year
he Lived Experience Advocate of the Year is designed to recognize an individual or volunteer who has lived experience with homelessness who is making an impact on the homeless response system and working toward ending homelessness in Dallas and Collin Counties.
Winner: Ty Choice
Runner-up: Jerry Hayes
Thank you so much to our presenting sponsor, Dominium.
Housing Heroes Award Luncheon Sponsors:
Ann & Tim Gavin
Carol and Steve Aaron
CitySquare
Dominium
Ellen & Rick Magnis
Temple Emanu-El
Temple Shalom
WAK Management
