Carol Jensen receives Pioneer Award from Housing Hope

Carol Jensen accepts Housing Hope’s Pioneer Award at the Stone Soup fundraising event May 12 when the theme was “The Ripple Effect.” Carol Jensen was named the winner of Housing Hope’s Pioneer Award at the organization’s signature fundraiser, Stone Soup, on May 12.

The Pioneer Award recognizes the long-term commitment of an individual or institution that has contributed to the pioneering efforts of Housing Hope.

Jensen has been an active participant ever since the early years of Housing Hope. Her accomplishments include attending the very first Stanwood meeting in 1989 when she spoke in support of Housing Hope.

She served as a Stanwood ambassador for 21 years, and was a member of Housing Hope’s board of directors for nine years serving as president for two years. She also served on the north branch board for five years.

Jensen was honored along with Mary Sievers, who won the Housing Hero Award. Siervers served the new Gates “Investing in Families” Snohomish County planning process during 2009.

She engineered the creation of a Snohomish County Community Case Management project designed to create a coordinated entry process for homeless families, and facilitated the granting of funds from the EverTrust Foundation toward Housing Hope’s Child Development Initiative.

Housing Hope also offered special recognition to the Bank of America., with the Keep Hope Alive Award for the bank’s unparalleled corporate commitment to their community through the “Neighborhood Excellence” program, based on the belief that a healthy community is a healthy place to do business. from Housing

To be successful, Bank of America commits to creating real impact in those places where their employees live, work, and do business. The program recognizes, nurtures, and rewards community based organizations, local heroes and student leaders working to improve their communities.

Housing Hope was a recipient in 2008 of the $200,000 Neighborhood Builder award. Extraordinary leadership training opportunities were also provided as part of the program. Two major grants are awarded each year in each of Bank of America’s 45 markets, and Housing Hope competed successfully in the greater Seattle area market.

Founded in 1987, Housing Hope recognizes that safe, decent and affordable housing is only the first step in creating housing stability for struggling families.

The innovative concept is to provide a full range of housing options with housing-related support services, a hallmark of the Housing Hope mission.

Housing Hope combines emergency shelter and transitional housing with critical services such as lifeskills training, childcare, case management, employment counseling and access to health insurance.

Housing Hope offers affordable rent apartments and homeownership opportunities for low-income individuals of Snohomish County and Camano Island.

Housing Hope’s Web site is www.housinghope.org.