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City West Journal

 
Cook County earns record number of national achievement awards
Toni Preckwinkle County Board President | Cook County Government

Today, the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution recognizing the county's achievements in receiving 78 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards for 2025. These awards highlight innovative government programs that enhance services for residents, promote equity, and address critical community needs.

“These awards are a testament to the ingenuity and dedication of our employees who work every day to make government more accessible, equitable and effective,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “We’re proud to be recognized nationally for programs that put residents first and reflect our core values of innovation, justice and service.”

The awards cover various areas including health equity, digital inclusion, sustainability, housing access, and workforce protection. The winning programs demonstrate Cook County’s commitment to providing responsive public services centered around people.

Among this year’s notable award recipients is the Community of Care initiative by the Justice Advisory Council. This program supports 150 community-based violence prevention organizations through arts-based programming and other activities. It engaged 188 participants over its duration, resulting in reduced burnout and increased collaboration among organizations dealing with gun violence.

Another recognized effort is the Fair Housing Advertising Campaign by the Department of Human Rights and Ethics. This campaign reached over 5.7 million impressions between September and November 2024 through various media channels to educate residents about their housing rights under the Just Housing Amendment.

Cook County Health's Healthy Work Initiative was also awarded for developing regional infrastructure focused on workplace health and safety strategies. The initiative provided training to over 250,000 workers and coordinated more than 1,000 enforcement actions.

The Equity Fund Purchase Assistance Program by the Cook County Land Bank Authority offers financial assistance for home purchases in disinvested areas, addressing homeownership disparities.

Additionally honored was Dollars and Sense from the Bureau of Economic Development which offered financial counseling as part of a guaranteed income pilot program leading to significant credit score improvements among participants.

The Oak Forest Salvage Donation project involved donating clothing items from a closed hospital facility to support new residents while promoting sustainable asset reuse.

Lastly, Digital Inclusion Week events organized by the Office of the President bridged broadband gaps across communities by offering digital skills classes reaching thousands of residents.

Awards were given in 18 categories reflecting diverse county government services based on innovation impact potential nationwide replication criteria set forth by NACo Achievement Awards guidelines available at www.naco.org