2020 - October 29, 2020 5:00 EDT E V E N

With the help of more than 60 volunteers, the library offers a multitude of community events and critical services—including the only free, public computers and internet connection available in the area—to more than 900 local residents and 8,500 people in the broader region. [...] By sharing our fellows’ success stories, we hope to inspire other Americans to get involved in their own communities and convince them that civil society organizations are critical to the foundation of American life and character—and to the future of our democracy. [...] BRANDON CHROSTOWSKI A classically trained chef and sommelier, Brandon Chrostowski is on a mission to change the face of reentry in the United States as the founder, president, and CEO of EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute in Cleveland, Ohio. [...] We are also grateful for the generosity of the John Templeton Foundation, the Ohnell Family Foundation, and the many years of support from the William E. [...] With the help of philanthropy and volunteers—rather than government support—civil society organizations empower the poor and disadvantaged, build caring relationships to support those in crisis, prepare the next generation to realize their full potential, restore and revitalize struggling neighborhoods, and much more.