Linda James Receives NYS Public Service Award

Later tonight, Linda C. James will be presented with the 2013 New York State African American Public Service Award. Congratulations to Linda on this honor and thank you for all the great work you do in our community! Here is more information about Linda: Linda C. James is the epitome of public service. She
displays hard work, dedication, perseverance and a
genuine compassion for all that she encounters. A
mother of two daughters, one of which was brutally
murdered in 1991; she became the caregiver of two of
her five grandchildren. These two grandchildren have been in Linda's
care since their release from the hospital when they were approximately
five months of age. They are now 23 and 25 years of age.

She has devoted over fifteen-years with Family Resource Center. During
this time Ms. James has been more than creative with her programming
as she has collaborated with the University of Rochester/Strong to
develop an outcome-based training manual/handbook as well as
facilitated a 15-week mentor training curriculum. This curriculum was
designed to train grandparents/kinship caregivers to mentor other
grandparents/kinship caregivers in the community. This mentoring
program is currently being utilized in the Rochester area. Ms. James has
also been a dedicated advocate in support of grandparents' rights. Ms.
James, along with the grandparents in her group has been to Albany, N.Y.
and Washington D.C. on numerous occasions to rally for their cause.

Ms. James serves on a multitude of boards including the National
Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights. The National
Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights was established as a
coalition of concerned grandparents, citizens, and agencies united to
create one powerful voice for advocacy and to network with groups
throughout the nation that share the same goals.

Ms. James has been the recipient of various awards throughout the years.
These awards have been indicative of her commitment, leadership, and
vision that she has demonstrated throughout the years. Ms. James
received a recognition award from former Governor Pataki in 1998 for
her outstanding contributions to support grandparents and other
relatives. In Washington, D.C. on February 28, 2007 she was awarded
the Kinship Advocacy Award by the Child Welfare League of America at
their National Conference for demonstrating exemplary work in the area
of Kinship Care. In November 2011 she received the HERO Award from
the New York State Care giving and Respite Coalition.