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Past Winners

Pastoral da Criança - Dr. Zilda Arns Neumann
Office for Farmworker Ministry - Sister Ann Kendrick
Cristo Rey Network - Father John Foley

2006 $100,000 Opus Prize Finalist
Sister Ann Kendrick
Representing Office for Farmworker Ministry

Thirty years ago, four women of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur came together in central Florida to address the overwhelming poverty they found among the farmworkers there. Bound by a sense of purpose and a driving need to serve others, Sisters Cathy Gorman, Teresa McElwee, Gail Grimes and Ann Kendrick founded the Office for Farmworker Ministry, which today is changing the lives of men, women and children in this region.

Over the years, the sisters have fostered the development of many community programs to meet basic human needs. The Homes in Partnership program has built more than 4,000 houses, giving people a chance to realize the dream of owning their own home. A credit union with three branches and 3,000 members provides farmworkers with the skills they need to save money and establish credit. There’s even a Pennies for Power program for children, helping them learn to manage their own money.

A Community Health Center, begun in a trailer, now has eight free-standing clinics to provide medical and dental care for those who can’t afford to receive treatment elsewhere. A Rural Law Center provides basic legal services, and an advocacy program encourages individuals to initiate and support new legislation that will aid the workers. The sisters also continue to fight for quality education for the children through support of the school system, more extensive immersion experiences and outreaches to community organizations. But most importantly, the Office for Farmworker Ministry supports the development of basic Christian communities, helps to strengthen an individual’s relationship with God and organizes religious rituals around culturally important faith monuments. A new Hope Community Center, which will open soon, will provide needed new offices for the Farmworker Ministry and will serve as a permanent pastoral center.

Thirty years ago, the sisters came together to help the poor and the neglected. Today, they are also building important links to the next generation in formal ways, through connections with groups such as the Notre Dame Americorp Volunteers. As they build relationships and a sense of community, they are helping the farmworkers of central Florida feel connected to each other and providing them with a sense of empowerment.

Learn more about the Sisters' work done with the Office for Farmworker Ministry.