LISC Jacksonville Announces 2022 Community Development Award Winners

-- Community Development Awards Honor Development Pioneers, Community Visionaries Who Are Socially, Economically Transforming Jacksonville’s Underserved Neighborhoods --

LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) Jacksonville recognized multiple community visionaries during its Community Development Awards celebration on April 7, 2022 with over 300 attendees at the Ritz Theatre & Museum. These individuals, who are transforming Jacksonville’s historically under-resourced neighborhoods, represent three highly successful community development initiatives that are creating economic and social advancement opportunities for local residents for years to come.

“The transformational focus and intentional investments of tonight’s award winners truly illustrate their unwavering commitment to the success of Jacksonville and all of its residents, particularly those who have been lacking significant investment in their communities for too many generations,” said Dr. Irvin “PeDro” Cohen, executive director of LISC Jacksonville. “True pioneers accept the risks they face and forge towards their goal no matter the adversity, and our Community Development Award winners as well as our nominees personify this and are proving how local investment inherently uplifts all of our neighbors.”

The Community Development Awards exemplify LISC Jacksonville’s mission and its role in convening the private sector, government agencies and community organizations to bridge gaps to improve quality of life, increase access to wealth-building opportunities, create jobs, and provide affordable housing in Jacksonville’s urban core neighborhoods.

The 2022 Community Development Award winners:

• JanetOwens Award: Joyce Delifus (Founder, Shawn D. Delifus Foundation)

The Janet Owens Award, sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co. and named in honor of LISC Jacksonville’s former executive director and community visionary, recognizes an individual who has served as a catalyst in one of the following three pillars: Community Development, Safety and Justice, or Family Wealth Creation.

Joyce Delifus, the founder of the Shawn D. Delifus Foundation named in honor of her late son, embodies safety, justice, and positive community engagement through her work with the foundation. Since its founding, the Shawn D. Delifus Foundation has provided swimming lessons to more than 200 children at no charge to the parents and has used swimming as a way to connect children and senior adults with personal growth and development opportunities. Focusing on underserved communities, the foundation – fueled by Joyce’s personal passion to honor her son and a dedicated team of volunteers – has provided children and seniors with water safety, nutrition, wellness, and life skills training and education.

• Igniter Award: Iben Lakay, LLC (James Smith)

The Igniter Award, sponsored by Wells Fargo, recognizes a real estate project that advances the urban core in Jacksonville’s underserved neighborhoods. Entrepreneur James Smith purchased and rehabilitated a nearly 4,000-square-feet commercial property situated mid-block between 7th and 8th streets in Springfield. The property, which was a vision and pioneering project by the owner to help revitalize Main Street into a thriving commercial corridor, has since become home to three thriving local businesses, including Block Skate Supply (owned by Smith), Bark on Main, and Bobby K Boutique. The early investment encouraged additional investment on Main Street, helping it become an active commercial district with increasing property values.

• J.F. Bryan Award: Kingdom Plaza Mall (Bishop Vaughn & Narlene McLaughlin)

The J.F. Bryan Award, sponsored by The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida and named in honor of LISC Jacksonville’s founding Advisory Board Chair who served in the role for 20 years, recognizes a Community Development Corporation (CDC) or non‐profit organization that has provided collaboration and leadership in bringing diverse voices to improve community through targeted programs, initiatives, or physical development. The visionary leadership of Bishop Vaughn and Narlene McLaughlin has created a ministry that is socially, economically, educationally, and spiritually uplifting the lives of many in the westside Normandy Village community. Their purchase and renovation of the former dilapidated Normandy Village Mall, transforming it into the thriving Kingdom Plaza Mall, has created a community jewel that houses a bowling alley, fitness gym, a nationally recognized restaurant, and a small-business incubator. Their transformational community investment is creating numerous economic and personal development opportunities for people in this underserved part of Jacksonville that has lacked significant investment in years.

• Honorary Award to presented to Michelle Braun for her service not only as serving LISC Jacksonville Local Advisory Committee for more than 15 years but also President & CEO of United Way of Northeast Florida since 2014.