Sacramento, California - Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Monica M. Miller of the Sacramento Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) presented Green Valley Community Church of Placerville with the regional FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award.
The annual award recognizes dedicated and selfless individuals and organizations making extraordinary contributions to communities across the United States. Award recipients come from diverse backgrounds and focus on a variety of issues; however, they all have the same motivation—a desire to reach out to those in need and make their communities a safer place to live.
Each FBI field office nominates one individual or organization for the award, and each award recipient is recognized in their community prior to traveling to the national ceremony in Washington, D.C. On May 1, 2015, Senior Pastor Ken Burkey will travel to Washington, D.C. to receive the official crystal award from FBI Director James B. Comey during the ceremony at FBI Headquarters.
“Green Valley Community Church addresses the needs of the most vulnerable members of their community with dignity and grace, providing opportunities to resolve challenges that can negatively impact the community as a whole,” said Special Agent in Charge Monica M. Miller. “We are grateful for the support they have given to our victims of human trafficking over the years. They restored the dignity of many victims, reunited them with families in other states, provided opportunities for healing, and enabled remarkable life transformations.”
Victims of federal crimes have benefited from Green Valley community Church’s services and support, especially those impacted by commercial sexual exploitation. For more than 10 years, “Grace Bags” filled with toiletries, clothing, gift cards, and clothing items were provided to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies for victims and individuals in crisis. The church’s New Beginnings life skills classes help victims recover from the effects of exploitation and abuse and gain valuable personal skills. The dedicated volunteers at the church’s clothing closet ensure that victims receive clothing to restore their dignity and enable them to enter the workforce.
“We are truly humbled by this honor and are simply grateful for the opportunity to serve our community,” said Senior Pastor Ken Burkey. “God is always for the underdog: the disenfranchised and those who have been taken advantage of. Our ministries are about the power of individuals who are excited about justice and who, with broken hearts, seek to make things right for those who need it most.”
Green Valley Community Church was founded in Placerville in 1930 as a community outreach church. In 1994, Senior Pastor Ken Burkey refocused the church’s mission to using the talents and abilities of all church members to impact the community as a whole. The church serves as a vital resource for community members in crisis, whether they have been impacted by violent crime, homelessness, substance abuse, mental health issues, or financial challenges. All services are provided with a focus on maintaining the grace and dignity of the recipient. More information about the church and the extensive services they provide to the Placerville community can be found on the church’s website, http://gvcconline.com/.
