The 20th Annual Friends of Iowa Civil Rights Lifetime Achievement Award went to the World Food Prize Foundation.
The president of the Foundation, Ken Quinn, quotes World Food Prize founder Norman Borlaug when he says “food is the moral right of all who are born into this world.”
“If people don’t have enough food and sufficient nutritious food, they are not going to be able to avail themselves of their civil rights," Quinn says. "So food is the foundation that has to be addressed.”
The Lifetime Achievement Award is named for pioneering women’s and civil rights activist the late Elizabeth Kruidenier.
Two other organizations were honored by the Friends of Iowa Civil Rights.
Des Moines University was recognized for preparing a diverse group of medical professionals to treat an under-served population.
The school’s president, Angela Franklin, says it’s crucial to train doctors to reduce health disparities among the races and ethnic groups.
“It’s really important for our students to have an appreciation for cultural sensitivities," she says. "So when they provide care regardless of the individual and the circumstances that individual brings, that they can provide proper care for any individual and meet them where their needs are.”
Iowa Legal Aid was awardes for providing protections to thousands of vulnerable Iowans.
The executive director is Dennis Groenenboom.
“We provide legal services in civil cases, not criminal cases, to low income Iowans." he says. "Last year we closed over 18,000 cases impacting over 43,000 people in the household and many of those issues are going to involve civil rights.”