The National Civic League announced the finalists for the 2014 All-America City Awards. They are:
- Montgomery, Alabama
- San Pablo, California
- Whittier, California
- Brush, Colorado
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Tarpon Springs, Florida
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Marshalltown, Iowa
- Columbus, Indiana
- Chelsea, Massachusetts
- Dedham, Massachusetts
- Fitchburg, Massachusetts
- Somerville, Massachusetts
- Marquette, Michigan
- Kenmore, New York
- Canton, New York
- Independence, Oregon
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Brownsville, Texas
- Marshall, Texas
- Hampton, Virginia
- Portsmouth, Virginia
- Yakima, Washington
- Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
“We look forward to hosting these community innovators when they come to Denver to participate in the All-America City Awards in June,” said National Civic League Board Chair Mayor Michael B. Hancock of Denver. “All-America city finalists are at the forefront of a nationwide movement to find inventive, community-based solutions to the issues that face our cities. From preparing our kids to compete and succeed in the 21st century to promoting livable neighborhood revitalization, new ideas often start in one community and later become best practices for others.”
This year’s awards have a special focus on successful efforts to address the underlying conditions that affect the health of communities. As part of NCL’s celebration of the 25th anniversary of the U.S. Healthy Communities movement, the All-America City Award will spotlight programs that address issues such as obesity, walkable cities, biking, fitness, healthy eating and disease prevention.
“Your zip code is more important than your DNA code when it comes to health,” noted Anne Warhover, president and CEO of the Colorado Health Foundation. “Therefore designing our communities with opportunities for physical activity and access to healthy food is critical to improving health outcomes. People are demanding healthy housing and healthy work places. As a result community builders want to provide it. We are overjoyed that the All-America City Award celebrates communities with the foresight to make health a priority and encourages other communities to implement policies that encourage building for health!”
Sponsors of the 2014 All-America City Awards are Southwest Airlines, The Official Airline of the All-America City Awards; Campaign for Grade-Level Reading; Colorado Health Foundation; The Colorado Trust; Kaiser Permanente Denver/Boulder Offices; Alameda Gateway Community Association; Delta Dental of Colorado; FirstBank; Greenberg Traurig; Mile High United Way; PCL Construction; St. Anthony Hospital; City of Aurora, Colorado; City and County of Denver, Colorado; City of Lakewood, Colorado; City of Dublin, California; City of Gladstone, Missouri; City of Rancho Cordova, California.
Communities vying for All-Americas City status fill out applications listing three examples of successful community change and describing their capacities for civic engagement, collaboration, inclusiveness and innovation. Then they present to a jury of civic experts who select the annual award winners. The 2014 All-America Cities will be announced June 15 at an awards celebration. More than 600 communities have received the award since its beginning in 1949.
