Luncheon honors human service contributors | Community Spirit

Last week the Alliance of Eastside Agencies (AEA), a professional membership organization of human service providers, honored five individuals and two organizations at its seventh annual awards luncheon held at Bear Creek Country Club in Woodinville.  Bellevue City Councilmember John Chelminiak was among those honored.

"The AEA is pleased to honor members of the community who have played a significant role in supporting human services in East King County.  This event highlights the work of those in the community who make the Eastside a better place for all of us to live and work," said AEA Chair David Downing, who is also Associate Director at Youth Eastside Services.

Elected official of the Year—John Chelminiak, Bellevue City Councilmember

In a time when King County and many cities are cutting human services funding, Councilmember Chelminiak fought hard to add $100,000 to Bellevue’s budget to ensure critical basic needs in the face of the economic recession—even in the midst of his own health crisis.  He is Liaison to the Bellevue Human Services Commission, a representative on the Eastside Human Services Forum, the Mental Health Drug Dependency Oversight Committee (MIDD), and on the Governing Board of the Committee to End Homelessness.

Other volunteers honored included: 

Youth Volunteer of the Year—Andrea Molina, Youth Eastside Services (YES)

Volunteer of the Year—Annie Parks, Kindering Center

Volunteer of the Year— Angela Bosse, Eastside Domestic Violence Prevention (EDVP)

Non-profit Staff of the Year—Joan Campbell, President and CEO, Friends of Youth

Community Partner—Habitat for Humanity East King County

Business of the Year—Seattle Times Fund for the Needy