To honor our founder's legacy of giving, Opus and the Opus Foundation® launched the Gerry Rauenhorst Building Community Award in 2015. Fueled by unwavering optimism, Gerry demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit, creativity and a commitment to finding a better way to build a business, community and value-centered life. With an enduring belief that business has a responsibility to strengthen society, Gerry ensured giving back was a cornerstone of our organization.
This annual award is truly inspired by Gerry and our people. Associates nominate nonprofits, select a finalist for their market and then participate in a three-round internal vote. The winning nonprofit received a grant totaling $68,000 – $1,000 for each year since Gerry founded the company in 1953. In addition, the other seven finalists each receive $1,500 in recognition of the important contributions they are making to our communities.
Without further ado, the 2021 Building Community Award winner and recipient of a $68,000 Opus Foundation® grant is…
The Link of Minneapolis!
In their own words: No one should have to trade sex for a safe place to stay. And no young family should have to sleep in a car or outside because they don't have a home. The Link provides crisis support, emergency shelter and housing to over 2,000 youth and young families each year. They offer a safety net for youth often left behind, providing programs made to meet the needs of Black youth, LGBTQ youth, young parents and more.
Youth at The Link are moving out of survival mode and building stability. The impact is life changing: youth have a safe place to call home (often for the first time), are healing from trauma, achieving sobriety, developing trusting relationships, getting back to school, finding jobs they love and so much more.
With the Building Community Award, more youth and families will have access to housing and the vital supportive services offered by The Link.
By The Hand Club For Kids provides holistic after-school programming that invests in students from Chicago's most under-resourced neighborhoods.
Child Crisis Arizona (Phoenix)
Providing children and youth in Arizona a safe environment, free from abuse and neglect, by creating strong and successful families.
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (Denver)
The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is the largest provider of services to the homeless in Colorado.
Harvesters (Kansas City)
Harvesters and its agency partners respond to hunger in our community by distributing food and educating about food insecurity.
MLK Center (Indianapolis)
At the MLK Center, families can access education, new opportunities, follow their path and find stability and peace.
Peter & Paul Community Services (St. Louis)
PPCS is rooted in creating sustainable living situations for our clients, mainly homeless and struggling with chronic mental health challenges.
Starts Right Here (Des Moines)
Street life, drugs, gangs, murders involved founder Will Keeps. It must stop now with Starts Right Here program.
This annual award is truly inspired by Gerry and our people. Associates nominate nonprofits, select a finalist for their market and then participate in a three-round internal vote. The winning nonprofit received a grant totaling $68,000 – $1,000 for each year since Gerry founded the company in 1953. In addition, the other seven finalists each receive $1,500 in recognition of the important contributions they are making to our communities.
Without further ado, the 2021 Building Community Award winner and recipient of a $68,000 Opus Foundation® grant is…
The Link of Minneapolis!
In their own words: No one should have to trade sex for a safe place to stay. And no young family should have to sleep in a car or outside because they don't have a home. The Link provides crisis support, emergency shelter and housing to over 2,000 youth and young families each year. They offer a safety net for youth often left behind, providing programs made to meet the needs of Black youth, LGBTQ youth, young parents and more.
Youth at The Link are moving out of survival mode and building stability. The impact is life changing: youth have a safe place to call home (often for the first time), are healing from trauma, achieving sobriety, developing trusting relationships, getting back to school, finding jobs they love and so much more.
With the Building Community Award, more youth and families will have access to housing and the vital supportive services offered by The Link.
2021 Finalists
By The Hand Club for Kids (Chicago)By The Hand Club For Kids provides holistic after-school programming that invests in students from Chicago's most under-resourced neighborhoods.
Child Crisis Arizona (Phoenix)
Providing children and youth in Arizona a safe environment, free from abuse and neglect, by creating strong and successful families.
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (Denver)
The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is the largest provider of services to the homeless in Colorado.
Harvesters (Kansas City)
Harvesters and its agency partners respond to hunger in our community by distributing food and educating about food insecurity.
MLK Center (Indianapolis)
At the MLK Center, families can access education, new opportunities, follow their path and find stability and peace.
Peter & Paul Community Services (St. Louis)
PPCS is rooted in creating sustainable living situations for our clients, mainly homeless and struggling with chronic mental health challenges.
Starts Right Here (Des Moines)
Street life, drugs, gangs, murders involved founder Will Keeps. It must stop now with Starts Right Here program.