GIPL's Light Award—St. Philip A.M.E. Church

This year's Light Award was given to Saint Philip AME Church at the Ninth Annual GIPPY Awards in March. Accepting the award for St. Philip was Voncile Hodges, Executive Director of the Saint Philip Community Development Corporation.GIPL’s Light Award is presented to Saint Philip AME Church in Atlanta for its excellence in education and outreach to the community with their sustainability initiatives.Saint Philip hosts an annual Earth Day Green & Clean Event every spring, where residents across Atlanta can responsibly dispose of all manner of items. The church collected tons and tons of paper to be shredded, paint to be recycled, Styrofoam and clothes. You name it – it seems they take it.They also include a yard sale and flea market to raise money and promote thrifty shopping. They see this annual event as a way to educate their community – to highlight the benefits of recycling and protecting the environment. It’s been an important educational tool to residents who take advantage of this annual event.Saint Philip also has focused its sustainability initiatives on environmental health, helping their congregants make the connection between healthy lifestyles and supporting a healthy planet. They began a parking lot market as they make plans to phase in a larger farmer’s market and store onsite – actually in an abandoned building adjacent to their property that once was the only grocery store serving that neighborhood along the South Candler corridor of Dekalb county.Next month the parking lot market will be open every Saturday offering fresh organic foods and educational programs on health and the environment. This is a much-needed outreach program for this community that could be considered one of Atlanta’s food deserts.GIPL is pleased to honor St. Philips AME Church with the Light Award – for being a beacon of hope and light to our community.