United Way of St. Joseph County hosted the annual Coquillard event to express gratitude to leadership donors and recognize community game-changers.

South Bend's Eaton Corporation received the Workplace Campaign of the Year award. It's remarkable that, despite economic challenges, the employees at Eaton Corporation increased their donations by 25% and the total pledge amount by 38% from 2022-2023. The more their community is hurt by the economy, the more the employees of Eaton step up to help. Amazing!

The Community Impact Award was presented to Family & Children's Center, Inc. for The Brain Train program, which focuses on involving families in a child's development. This program stands out among others for embracing the role of family in a child's learning journey. While afterschool and pre-K programs really hone in on the child, The Brain Train's success is achieved by influencing the home environment to make learning and development a part of the family's culture. The Brain Train

Finally, the Ernie Award (named after Ernestine Raclin) for leadership was presented to Karla Fales, the President and CEO of REAL Services, Inc. Karla's outstanding qualities include caring, compassion, critical thinking, moral courage, and grace under pressure. She is truly a leader's leader and someone that we all want to emulate.

Key Sponsors: Arkos Design, University of Notre Dame, and Burns Rent-Alls Tools & Equipment

A special thank you to our food and drink sponsors: Tippecanoe, Studebaker Brewing Company, Crest la Vie Cakes, Corndance Tavern, Uptown Kitchen, Social Cantina, Jesus Latin Grill & Tequila Bar, PEGGs, Three Leaf Catering at ND, RoseLily, Beige & Board, City Wide Liquor, and Indiana Wholesale.