O-R series wins public service award
Liz Rogers
Denise Bachman
Jon Stevens
Karen Mansfield
Barbara Miller
Katie Roupe
Jim McNutt
Mallory Rogers
The Observer-Reporter has received the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation’s Public Service Award for its “No Place to Call Home” homeless initiative.
The award is presented annually to a Pennsylvania newspaper that has helped improve the community through public service leadership.
Entries were judged on the following criteria: a significant effort beyond the scope of the newpaper’s normal routine; the initiative and activities of the newspaper, and the results of these efforts.
The Observer-Reporter’s homeless series was published in three installments last year, and readers can continue to access the reporting project online at www.observer-reporter.com.
In conjunction with the series, the newspaper organized a comprehensive campaign to not only raise awareness, but also to generate money to assist the homeless.
More than $23,000 was raised and disbursed to nonprofit agencies that provide homeless services in Washington and Greene counties.
“This is an outstanding effort which draws attention to readers the plight of the homeless in their community,” the judges wrote. “This series shows a total commitment by the ownership and staff of the Observer-Reporter in examining the cause of homelessness and how the community can help alleviate the problem. The results of their excellent effort have changed lives and given hope to the homeless.”
Members of the “No Place to Call Home” reporting team are Liz Rogers, editor; Denise Bachman, assistant managing editor for production; Karen Mansfield and Barbara Miller, staff writers; Jon Stevens, Greene County bureau chief; Jim McNutt and Katie Roupe, photographers, and Mallory Rogers, Trinity High School graduate and Syracuse University freshman.
The homeless initiative also received the National Low-Income Housing Coalition’s 2014 Media Award, a Pennsylvania Keystone Press Award, and the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania’s Golden Quill and Ray Sprigle Memorial awards.
The PNA Public Service Award will be presented Nov. 7 during the PNA annual convention at the Omni William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh.