- Home
- Community Impact
- Quality of Life Award
Quality of Life Award
The Quality of Life Award is Presented to Individuals Who Make a Positive Difference in McKinney
Each year, the McKinney Community Development Corporation presents a Quality of Life Award to an individual or organization that has made a positive difference in the lives of McKinney citizens. The Quality of Life Award provides an opportunity to recognize an individual and/or organization that works to make McKinney a better place to live, work and visit.
Jump to Topic
Nomination Criteria
To be nominated for the Quality of Life award, the individual or organization must meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Has made a significant economic, social or environmental impact on the community
- Is a public use project, facility or initiative that impacts the community at large
- Promotes, develops or creates:
- Affordable housing
- Business growth or tourism
- Recreational, cultural or community assets or amenities
For more information, view the Quality of Life Award Criteria and Winners (PDF).
Submitting Nominations
You may submit a nomination in two ways:
- You may complete the Quality of Life Nomination Form online on our website.
- Download and complete a Quality of Life Nomination Form (PDF) and send it to:
McKinney Community Development Corporation
Attention: Linda Jones
5900 South Lake Forest Drive, Suite 110
McKinney, Texas 75070
Award Presentation
Presentation of the award takes place at the annual McKinney Chamber of Commerce Community Awards Event.
For More Information
If you have any questions or need additional information, please send us an email or call at 972-547-7654.
“Quality of life touches every aspect of a city. It affects the growth rate by attracting residents, the tourism industry by offering amenities visitors find enticing and the economic foundation by attracting businesses with a quality lifestyle for the workforce.”
Cindy Schneible, President
McKinney Community Development Corporation
2022 Award Recipients
Individual Award - Angela Poen
Angela Poen is the Founder and Board President of Community Garden Kitchen of Collin County… the first free kitchen in the area serving freshly-prepared meals to children, college students, seniors and anyone else in the community who is experiencing food insecurity. The Kitchen serves meals to anyone who enters -- no paperwork and no questions asked. The idea for the Kitchen was first discussed in 2014 when members of a ladies Bible study learned that more than 100,000 Collin County residents were facing food insecurity on a regular basis and that there was no place for them to receive a hot meal. A partnership with Holy Family School was formed to build a 4,800 square foot, free-standing kitchen that serves the school’s students during the day and is open in the evenings to serve meals to those in need. Angela was the driving force behind this project, leading the way to raise $900,000 dollars, allowing the kitchen to open debt-free. The kitchen serves chef-prepared meals in a restaurant-style setting. The vision for Community Garden Kitchen is to be a center of hope and compassion, ensuring that no one in our community suffers the fear and distress of food insecurity. It is because of Angela Poen’s vision and determination that the Community Garden Kitchen was birthed.
Organization Award - GraceToChange
Ten years ago, Shannon White established the GraceToChange Substance Abuse Treatment Center which now serves clients throughout Collin County. Their mission is simple: to break the chain of addiction for adolescents and adults by providing tools, support and hope for a lifetime of recovery. They serve indigent and poverty-stricken substance abusers who are looking for a way out of addiction, and they are the ONLY place in the area that provides services to adolescents. GraceToChange offers intensive, tailored, out-patient treatment. They even offer a lifetime of free weekly counseling sessions for those who complete their program. Their motto is “Change A Life. Change A Community.” During this time when addiction rates are climbing, the staff at GraceToChange exhibits commitment and dedication to make a difference in our community by caring for people who would otherwise be left adrift without help.
Previous Award Winners
|
|