Lisa Mumford, director of children and youth services at Juliette Fowler Communities, will be honored with the George Washington Medal of Honor, a national award presented by The Dallas Area Chapter of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, on November 10, at the Museum of Biblical Arts in Dallas.
Over 57,000 citizens from Maine to Hawaii have been honored for their efforts to make America a better place since 1949, when General Dwight D. Eisenhower presented 200 recipients with the first Freedoms Foundation National Awards. The words and deeds of the honorees reflect the best of the American spirit of volunteerism by offering constructive solutions to contemporary problems. There are seven categories for Freedoms Foundation’s National Awards.
Mumford, selected by the national awards committee in the community (adult and youth) category, has served at Juliette Fowler Communities (JFC) – an intergenerational community of residents at various life stages – for eight years. She provides oversight and direction of JFC’s children and youth services, including foster and adoption programs as well as The Ebby House and The Youth Support Center. She also oversees Fowler’s newest program, Grandparents as Parents, and leads the intergenerational taskforce.
“It’s such an honor to be a recipient of this year’s George Washington Medal of Honor, presented by the Dallas Chapter of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge,” said Lisa Mumford. “Serving the children and youth of our community through The Ebby House and the Youth Support Center at Juliette Fowler Communities is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The work is a fulfilling and meaningful part of my life – both personally and professionally. To join the ranks of many Dallas community members previously honored shows I am in the company of good people doing good work. Being recognized with this award motivates me to continue this special work.”
Mumford assisted with the startup of JFC’s Ebby House, a transitional living program for young women experiencing or at risk of homelessness due to abuse, neglect, abandonment, and aging out of the foster care system. During her eight years as program director, Ebby House has provided transformational services to more than 75 young women. Two years ago, Mumford also became director of JFC’s Youth Support Center, designed to provide non-residential, wraparound services for children and youth, ages 12-24, who are vulnerable to harm, including being sexually trafficked.
“Lisa is most deserving of this honor for her many years of commitment to this vital programming at Juliette Fowler Communities,” said Nicole Gann, president and CEO, JFC. “Without question, she goes above and beyond the call of duty each day, ensuring that our youth receive the care and assistance they need to feel safe and loved while equipping them with the tools they need to go forward with success in society. She is an absolute blessing to all who know her. On behalf of our entire team, we wish her our heartiest congratulations on this well-deserved honor!”
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Juliette Fowler Communities is a unique faith-based, intergenerational community of residents at various life-stages. Located on 20 picturesque acres, Juliette Fowler Communities provides independent and assisted living, a Five-Star Quality Rated skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, memory care and affordable senior housing. As the only certified I’m Still Here® Center for Excellence in Dementia Care in North Texas and one of only two in Texas, Fowler’s program employs evidence-based techniques to adapt experiences to an individual’s cognitive abilities and strengths. It has also been named a Great Place to Work in the Aging Services Industry in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Children and youth services at Fowler include foster and adoption services, a residential program for women ages 18-24 at risk for homelessness due to neglect, abuse, and aging out of the foster care system, and the Youth Support Center – a one-stop location to help Dallas youth, both boys and girls ages 12-24, escape or avoid human trafficking and exploitation. Visit fowlercommunities.org or call 214.827.0813.
Freedoms Foundation, founded in 1949, is a national, non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian organization that educates about American rights and responsibilities, honors acts of civic virtue, and challenges all to serve a cause greater than themselves. The 75-acre campus adjoins Valley Forge National Historical Park and houses dormitories for student and teacher participants, teaching facilities, and a unique 42-acre grove honoring all recipients of the Medal of Honor. https://www.freedomsfoundation.org