Malik Ahmed, CEO, Better Family Life, Inc.
 
Challenge: Over 80 percent of the residents in North St. Louis are barely able to make ends meet and suffer from low rates of high school graduation, substance abuse, long-term unemployment and blighted neighborhoods.

When Omar Faust, housing development manager for Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware (ICHDE), was working to redevelop 12 condos for artists in Wilmington's creative district, he saw the same group of men hanging around every day with nothing else to do. All were ex-offenders, and no one wanted to take a chance on them.
 

In 1982, Maria Garciaz began volunteering for NeighborWorks Salt Lake, an organization that focuses on homeownership services, community building and economic development. NeighborWorks Salt Lake also offers programs to help young people learn trade and work skills by building and revitalizing homes.

Peggy Hutchison, CEO, Primavera Foundation

Sharon H. Lee, Executive Director, Low Income Housing Institute

Ludy Biddle, Executive Director, NeighborWorks of Western Vermont

Ken Lyons, President and CEO, NeighborWorks Home Solutions
                        

Enforcers of the repressive regime abducted Alain Rwage from his home in Burundi one night in 2011. Alain worked as a hotel manager and was in college studying communications. He also was helping organize young people to push for democracy in the African nation riven by violent political and tribal conflict. He had endured persecution, prison and torture for his efforts.

Alyssa Andreska, Mary Coulter, Maggy Otte, CommonBond Communities