The Award

The Shelley Joseph-Kordell Award was established by the Hennepin County Commissioners on August 17, 2004, through the following Resolution:

WHEREAS, in 1982 Shelley Joseph-Kordell began her work with seniors in the community, providing a range of services to assist seniors and their families with personal and financial needs; and

WHEREAS, Shelley Joseph-Kordell believed passionately that by helping seniors navigate the complex public and private systems around financial planning, housing, transportation and health care, seniors could both retain their independence longer and make life transitions in a more seamless fashion; and

WHEREAS, our aging population increasingly needs strong advocates dedicated to preserving the dignity of the elderly and feels deeply the hole left behind with the tragic death of Shelley Joseph-Kordell; and

WHEREAS, effective, compassionate work with vulnerable seniors in the community too often goes unrecognized as the life-sustaining work that it is; therefore

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners establishes the annual Shelley Joseph-Kordell Award to honor the contributions that Shelley made to senior citizens in our community and to recognize outstanding individuals/agencies assisting seniors in Hennepin County.

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In 2009 the Shelley Joseph-Kordell Planning Committee decided to add a second award to honor an “unsung hero” whose work has had an impact on individual clients or who has made an impact in his/her workplace.

Download a list of previous Shelley Joseph-Kordell Award winners.