2012 Mayor's Awards Honors Progress for Care to Seniors & Adults with Disabilities

The Mayor’s Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities and Vanderbilt Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities awarded Progress Inc. with four of the 12 awards presented at the 31^st Annual Mayor’s Awards, which took place Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012 at the Nashville Farmers’ Market.

 Mayor Karl Dean and advisory committee members honored Progress with the 2012 Agency Award for the organization’s ability to find “creative and innovative” ways in providing care to adults with disabilities and seniors. Progress employee Pam Reed received the 2012 Direct Support Professional Award for making significant strides with in the lives of the individuals she serves. Progress office manager Lanitta Joseph was named the Agent of Change for her ability to touch the lives of each person that steps foot in Progress’ offices. Robert Page, Progress client and 2012 Employment Idol winner, was awarded the Jo Andrews Award for his efforts to improve the lives of children at Harris Hillman Special Education School.

The 2012 Mayor’s Awards ceremony also honored and featured the work of local artists with disabilities from the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities’ Creative Expressions XVII exhibit. The 2012 Mayor’s Awards, hosted by Emmy award-winner Janet Ivey, recognized employers, volunteers, advocates and artists that have made significant strides and efforts to improve the disability community.  Please view photos from the awards ceremony at http://portal.sliderocket.com/BOJPY/2012MayorsAwards .

Progress wins FOUR awards from Mayor's Committee on People With Disabilities

Robert Page with DIDD Commissioner Jim Henry

Progress Inc. Executive Director Donna Goodaker, Mitch and Allison at a Progress party.

We're so excited to announce that Progress has been honored in a huge way this year by the Mayor's Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities. We were named top agency by the advisory committee and our staff and clients also received honors. The awards' ceremony will take place Oct. 25 at the Nashville Farmer's Market. Thanks so much to the committee for considering our folks and our agency noteworthy.

Here's a rundown of Progress' 2012 Mayor's Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities Awards:

• PROGRESS INC. - AGENCY/ORGANIZATION - Recognizes an entity that meets the needs of persons with disabilities in the community in creative, innovative ways; that advocates for persons with disabilities and their families individually and systemically; and work cooperatively with other agencies/ organizations for the advancement of the field.

• PAM REED - DSP or DEDICATED SPECIAL PERSON – Recognizes a paid Direct Support Professional who believes and demonstrates by their actions that their first allegiance is to the person or persons they support, that all other actions flow from this allegiance, and that dedicate their efforts to improving the lives of people with disabilities, both on and off the job.
• LANITTA JOSEPH - AGENT FOR CHANGE - Recognizes a person who strongly advocates for and demonstrates keen sensitivity to issues related to disabilities, and whose efforts impact positively and significantly upon the service system and/or community.

• ROBERT PAGE - JO ANDREWS AWARD - Recognizes a person with a disability who makes an important contribution to the disability community by his/her example or effort.