Building Community
Community Leadership Awards
Each year, The Denver Foundation presents its Community Leadership Awards. These awards were created in the names of Swanee Hunt, Judy Kaufmann, and the Parr/Widener Family.
The Swanee Hunt Awards
Created by Ambassador Swanee Hunt, founder of the Hunt Alternatives Fund and head of the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard University, The Swanee Hunt Individual and Youth Leadership Awards recognize outstanding Metro Denver leaders. Swanee Hunt created these awards to honor women and men who spend their lives making life better for others, and young people who have showed the promise of leadership. The awards are given by a selection committee of community leaders including several former employees and trustees of the Hunt Alternatives Fund.
2011 Swanee Hunt Individual Leadership Award: Lisa Duran, Director of Rights for All People, and co-founder of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition
2011 Swanee Hunt Youth Leadership Award: Chiquita Cole, a graduate of Manual High School and University of Northern Colorado
The Judy Kaufmann Civic Entrepreneurship Award
Judy Kaufmann was a staff member at the Piton Foundation, a woman who committed her heart and her work to making our community better for everyone. After Judy’s passing, her family and friends honored her by creating the Judy Kaufmann Civic Entrepreneurship Award to connect her memory with the creative and entrepreneurial work of community leaders who shared Judy’s spirit of contribution and leadership.
2011 Judy Kaufmann Civic Entrepreneurship Award: Libby and Brad Birky, founders and owners of SAME Café.
The John Parr and Sandy Widener Civic Leadership Award
John Parr and Sandy Widener were outstanding leaders in the Metro Denver community. They and their oldest daughter, Chase, were killed tragically in a car accident in 2007. Their family and friends created the John Parr and Sandy Widener Civic Leadership Award to recognize people exemplifying John and Sandy’s commitment to and passion for improving the metro Denver community.
2011 John Parr and Sandy Widener Civic Leadership Award: Albus Brooks, District 8 Councilman of Denver
Photo: (l-r) Albus Brooks, Lisa Durán, Chiquita Cole, and Libby and Brad Birky.
Click here for a list of past Award Recipients.
