provided to The Santiva Chronicle
The Florida Housing Coalition recognized Community Housing & Resources’ efforts to raise awareness and drive local impact on housing needs with the prestigious Storytellers Award. The coalition presented the award to CHR at its 37th annual conference in Orlando last month.
The Storytellers Award honors “compelling narratives, powerful media coverage, or artistic endeavors that are raising awareness and advocating for affordable housing in Florida,” according to the organization’s website. “Their ability to engage, educate, and inspire through various media platforms is shaping public perceptions, influencing policy discussions, and driving meaningful change in the realm of affordable housing.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to receive this honor,” said CHR Executive Director Nicole Decker-McHale. “Part of our mission is helping our island community understand the need for affordable housing and how people’s lives, and Sanibel-Captiva as a whole, are transformed when we work together to meet that need.”
Decker-McHale said CHR pursues a multimedia strategy, including print, video, web, and social platforms, to spotlight individuals and families who worked with CHR to find safe, affordable, and stable housing.
“We’ll keep telling these stories because they continue to inspire our community to work with us to transform lives,” she added.
Decker-McHale spoke at the coalition’s conference with CHR Deputy Executive Director Savannah Miller-Berg, Sanibel Mayor Richard Johnson, Carmella Cioffi from MHK Architecture, and Docked Living President Nick Price. They presented on efforts to revolutionize workforce housing.