Named the 2008 Champion for Children is the late Gwen Elliott, who upon her 2002 retirement from the Pittsburgh Police Bureau, founded Gwen's Girls. With funding from the Allegheny County Office of Children, Youth, and Families she sought to address what she recognized as a general lack of public understanding regarding the gender-specific needs of at-risk girls.

The mission of Gwen's Girls is "to empower girls, ages 8-18, to have productive futures through holistic, gender-specific programs, education, and experiences."

Using its established relationships with social service providers, churches, schools, law enforcement, and citizens groups, Gwen's Girls facilitates services specific to an individual girl's needs and those of her entire family. Prevention services are currently provided for girls living in Wilkinsburg, East Liberty, Homewood, and Point Breeze, and a "transition from elementary to middle school program" is offered at five public schools in the East End. In 2006 Gwen's Girls opened a residential program for pregnant and parenting teens sent there by court order for medical, emotional, and spiritual care as well as schooling in parenting and general practical living skills.

View a WQED OnQ conversation with Gwen Elliott.

Receiving the Linda A. Dickerson award is Father Regis Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Focus on Renewal (F.O.R.) since 1975. He has been recognized for making F.O.R. a model of neighborhood-based services, which now include four corporate entities: F.O.R. Sto-Rox Neighborhood Corporation, Sto-Rox Community Federal Credit Union, Sto-Rox Plaza High Rise, and Sto-Rox Family Health Center.

F.O.R.'s mission is "to empower the development of the spirit, mind, and body of individuals that they may live their lives in a dignified and fully human way."

Programming that specifically benefits children includes the Butterfly Garden Early Learning Center with a curriculum that emphasizes literacy as well as experiences in music, science, math, and social skills development; the Family Support Center with its focus on positive parenting; the Family Health Center providing health and dental care for children and adults; and the Father Ryan Arts Center, opening in Spring 2008, with performance space and classrooms for art, drama, dance, literature, and other cultural activities and intended for children and adults of all ages.

View video of Father Ryan upon receiving the Wishart Fund's Shapiro Medal.

11/11/07