CINCINNATI – The Scripps Howard Fund is honoring Vietnam veteran Patrick Bell with the annual S.J. Dilenschneider Community Award for his efforts in offering free housing to hundreds of individuals at his farmhouse in Michigan.
The award honors the late S.J. Dilenschneider, a longtime executive with Scripps-Howard newspapers. A panel of judges selected Bell from nominees recommended by Scripps’ local television stations across the country.
WXYZ anchor Carolyn Clifford with veteran Patrick Bell
The award, including a $10,000 cash prize, is given to an individual or group of individuals in Scripps’ local markets who exemplify the spirit of Dilenschneider and The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP). Civility, leadership, community spirit and mentorship are among the criteria used to select the winner.
Bell, who served as a U.S. Marine in the Vietnam War in 1969 and 1970, established the Caroline House in 2013. The Lapeer, Michigan, farmhouse lodges about 20 people – primarily veterans – completely for free, as they work to get back on their feet.
“Mr. Bell exemplifies the spirit of S.J. Dilenschneider by noticing an often-overlooked issue in his community and finding a solution.” said Meredith Delaney, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Fund. “He empowers Caroline House residents to find jobs and affordable housing – all while making sure they feel like family. He provides a home, not just a shelter.”
Since opening Caroline House, Bell has provided housing to more than 300 people in the community.
WXYZ, Scripps’ local ABC affiliate in Detroit, surprised Bell with the S.J. Dilenschneider Community Award on July 17. Watch the video here.
Media contact: Molly Miossi, The E.W. Scripps Company, 513-977-3713, [email protected]
About the Scripps Howard Fund
The Scripps Howard Fund, a public charity established by The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP), is dedicated to creating informed and engaged communities through journalism education, childhood literacy and local causes. At the crossroads of the classroom and the newsroom, the Fund is a leader in supporting journalism through scholarships, internships, minority recruitment and development and First Amendment causes. The Scripps Howard Awards stand as one of the industry’s top honors for outstanding journalism. The Fund’s annual “If You Give a Child a Book …” childhood literacy campaign has distributed thousands of new books to children in need across the nation. The Fund partners with Scripps brands to create awareness of local issues and support organizations that build thriving communities. The Scripps Howard Fund administers funding for the Scripps Howard Foundation, a private foundation established in 1962 to advance charitable causes important to The E.W. Scripps Company and the Scripps and Howard families.