Bettendorf, Iowa - Ben Engebrecht was only two years old when he began volunteering for the Rock Island Senior Center/Project NOW, toddling up to the doors of home-bound seniors, delivering meals with his mother, Christine. Last night, Ben and his entire family joined a select group of volunteers in receiving the Quad City Caring Award from the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend.

In addition to the awards given to volunteers, each non-profit organization that nominated a recipient received a grant of $1,000. The awards and grants were presented during the Community Foundation's Annual Celebration held at the Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf.

The awards are presented each year by CFGRB to recognize volunteers who have demonstrated selflessness and a long-term commitment to the betterment of our community.

2011 recipients are:

• Michael Cole, nominated by 100 Black Men of the Quad Cities, Inc.
• Christine Engebrecht Family and family friend Karen Platt, nominated by Rock Island Senior Center/Project NOW
• Sarah Johnson, nominated by Family Resources
• Lisa Lopez, nominated by the League of United Latin American Citizens
• Kaylyn Maher, nominated by the Midwest Writing Center.

"This is the first time an entire family has received the Quad City Caring Award," said Susan Skora, President and CEO of the Community Foundation. "Each of the volunteers honored tonight have presented us all with tremendous gifts - their time and talent. Nonprofits depend on generous people like these to deliver services to those who need them."

Michael Cole, a former detective with the Davenport Police Department, was a strong role model for youth while serving as School Police Liaison Officer at Davenport North High School. With the 100 Black Men of the Quad Cities organization, he helps mentor 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th graders. He and his wife, Dorothea, have been foster parents to more than 3,000 children over 30 years.

The Engebrecht family of Milan, Illinois, is made up of mother Christine, father Brian, and children Ben, Katie, Caleb, and family friend Karen Platt. For 15 years, the family has delivered meals to home-bound seniors. As each child was born, they each joined the family excursion. Karen Platt also joined them in their deliveries after retiring from Aramark, where she spent years preparing meals delivered by the Engebrechts.

Sarah Johnson started volunteering as a high school leader with the Student Hunger Drive. She is now President of the Hunger Drive's Advisory Board. Sarah is also on the Family Resources Board of Directors and provides leadership for their QC Domestic Violence shelter. Last year, she founded Yoga-G, a nonprofit that brings volunteer yoga instructors into domestic violence shelters. She is currently Board Chair at the United Way of the Quad Cities Area. The spirit of giving that was sparked as a high school student has only grown stronger as an adult professional.

Lisa Lopez demonstrates her love of community by volunteering with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). Her father grew up in the Cook's Point barrio of Davenport, and when Lisa was young, he told her stories of life in the barrio, where people developed a caring community despite their poverty. Every week for years, she has managed and staffed the LULAC kitchen at fundraising events. Her home-baked desserts have boosted the scholarship program. She is also a volunteer mentor through a new LULAC initiative known as LEAP (Learning and Education through Active Participation).

Kaylyn Maher is the recipient of the Youth Award, presented each year to an outstanding volunteer under the age of 21. Kaylyn began volunteering at age 14 with the Midwest Writing Center. Despite the busy schedule of school and extracurricular activities, she always found time to help others. She has also served in the Community Foundation's Teens for Tomorrow program (T4T) and is now enrolled at Drake University.

The 2011 Quad City Caring Awards were presented to the volunteers by Mike Drymiller, CFGRB Board Chair, and Pete Wessels, CFGRB 2^nd Vice Chair. See photos from the 2011 Annual Celebration.

 The Community Foundation of the Great River Bend is a nonprofit organization that exists to better our community by connecting people who care with causes that matter. CFGRB meets the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations as established by the Council of Foundations. Visit CFGRB on the web at www.cfgrb.org.

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Media Contact:

Ken Gullette, Director of Communications

Community Foundation of the Great River Bend

Phone: 563-326-2840   Email: kengullette@cfgrb.org