United Voices for Children has announced the recipients of its 2019 annual awards for outstanding advocacy and service for children and youth throughout Northern Illinois. The Bishop Jesse R. Dewitt Award will be given to Rev. Dr. Norval Brown for his years of dedicated advocacy for and ministry with children, youth and families in need. The Katherine B. Greene Child Worker Award goes to two recipients: Leigh Ann Piper of Lanark UMC for founding the Pitter Patter Pantry to serve children of low-income families in Carroll County and to Ann Daniels of Christ UMC Rockford for 41 years of service leading children’s programs in the church and community. The Rev. Margaret Ann Williams Service Award will be given to Sharonda King of Christ the Carpenter UMC in Rockford for developing and leading two praise dance teams for children and youth.
These persons will be honored at the United Voices for Children (UVC) Breakfast on Tuesday morning, June 4th, at 6:45 a.m. during the Northern Illinois Annual Conference session at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg. To make a reservation for the gala UVC Breakfast ($20/person) contact unitedvoicesforchildren@gmail.com by May 24th.
The Breakfast will also feature Avik Das, Chief Probation Officer and Acting Director, Circuit Court of Cook County, speaking on “Chutes and Ladders: Positive Youth Justice.” United Voices for Children is a coalition of congregations and individuals in Northern Illinois dedicated to speak and act on behalf of children, youth and their families as well as to support ChildServ, MYSI, and Rosecrance which are United Methodist-affiliated youth-serving agencies.