Tipping Point Community, the Bay Area’s leading poverty-fighting organization, honored grantees Aspire Public Schools, Ravenswood Family Health Center and the SF State Guardian Scholars Program at its Fifth Annual Awards Breakfast December 8th. In addition, HP was honored with the first- ever Tipping Point partner award presented to an organization or individual that has given dollars, time and effort to support Tipping Point and its grantees. The event was held at the Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco.

Presenters at the breakfast included Tipping Point Board Chairman Alec Perkins, Tipping Point Board Members David Zierk and Michael J. Holston.

“In today’s world, there are so many reasons to feel hopeless. Some call growing national homelessness and soaring unemployment a crisis, but I call it an invitation to act,” said Daniel Lurie, Tipping Point Founder + CEO. “Because if we don’t act, we let the potential of the 600,000 Bay Area families and individuals who are ready to do the work required to move out of poverty fade, and I can think of no bigger crisis than that.”

Each year, Tipping Point Community honors Bay Area organizations working to prevent poverty in the region. The 2011 grantee honorees will each receive a grant of $50,000 from Tipping Point.

The 2011 Tipping Point grantee honorees:

James Willcox, CEO, Aspire Public Schools

Aspire Public Schools operates high-performing public charter schools across the state of California that focus on one goal—preparing urban students for college.

Luisa Buada, CEO, Ravenswood Family Health Center

Ravenswood Family Health Center is a federally qualified community health center that provides healthcare for the underserved, uninsured and most vulnerable low-income residents of communities in southeastern San Mateo County.

Xochitl Sanchez-Zarama and Dr. Sonja Lenz Rashid, Co-Founders, SF State Guardian Scholars Program

Guardian Scholars addresses the barriers facing former foster youth attending San Francisco State University by providing the emotional, social, academic, housing and financial support they need to stay in school and graduate from college.