Who is my neighbor? Is it the person who lives next door or down the street? Is it the family who plays at the park or the local business meeting the needs of residents? The Riverside Neighborhood Partnership (RNP) is a group of volunteers who work to unite residents and community organizations with neighbors, groups and resources.
This last week the RNP gathered to recognize outstanding neighborhood leadership and service to others as they acknowledged more than 20 Riverside individuals and group.
The Jack B Clarke Sr. Good Neighbor of the Year went to Tom Donahue who has served on the Riverside Downtown Partnership, the Chambers of Commerce, Raincross Group, the Downtown Area Neighborhood Alliance (DANA) and the advisory committee for the RCC Culinary Arts Academy. He has served as chair of the RNP from 2016-2021. He has served on countless committees and task forces for sustainability, libraries and parks. Professionally, Donahue worked with Family Services Association in the Senior Nutrition Program.
According to Councilmember Erin Edwards, Donahue has integrity, a spirit of engagement, and he works to ensure that everyone can have access to information to make up their own mind.
“I know that I am a better policy maker because of you, and we are a better city because of you,” Edwards said in her nomination of Donahue as Good Neighbor of the Year.
The Neighborhood Spirit Award went to Spanish Town Heritage Foundation – Trujillo Adobe in recognition of their work to foster connections, creates opportunities for people to get to know each other, and shares the skills and talents of the neighbors for the benefit of the community
The STHF is dedicated to championing the Hispanic legacy of the Inland Empire’s first settlers by sharing their stories, creating cultural learning opportunities, and leading community efforts to restore and revitalize La Placita de los Trujillos, a place of history, learning, entertainment and the arts. Nancy Melendez and Darlene Elliott-Trujillo created the Spanish Town Heritage Foundation to raise awareness and preserve the Trujillo Adobe which was built by their ancestors in 1862. The “adobe” is a California Point of Historic Interest, an official part of California’s history and has been written into the City’s Northside Specific Plan and Riverside County development plans. Their centerpiece fundraiser is the Riverside Tamale Festival.
The Neighborhood Hero Award – Katalin Antal and Mike Johnson recognizing their devotion of time, energy, passion, and skills to help a neighborhood become a special place. Antal and Johnson have cooked and delivered hundreds of meals to March Base, American Legion Posts and local senior adults.
The RNP works with elected officials and the Riverside Community and Economic Development – Neighborhood Engagement Division to inform, educate, and advocate about issues and policies that impact our neighborhoods.
