The annual “Light the World” award is given to a group or individual in recognition of their outstanding service and meaningful contribution to the Greater Charlotte community.  

2021 Recipient

Refugee Support Services
Pictured: Sarah Stubbs, Fruitful Friends Coordinator
Refugee Support Services started in the spring of 2006. Rachel Humphries expanded
beyond teaching ESL to a classroom of refugees she grew to love and started connecting them
with locals who could help meet their additional needs outside of the classroom. Since that
time, Refugee Support Services has continued to grow and evolve. They now facilitate rich
intercultural reciprocal relationships between refugees and the Charlotte community through
Fruitful Friends, Refugee Help Center, and Knit Together programs. These programs promote
refugee self-sufficiency and enrich our community.  Refugee Support Services offers weekly free
vegetable distribution, literacy opportunities, citizenship education, community- and skill-
building classes and events, and love and learns educational programs for children and
parents. Refugee Support Services provides support that helps refugees to live day-to-day in the
U.S. We feel very fortunate to be involved with Refugee Support Services. We would like to
present this year’s Light the World award to you in honor and recognition of the good you do in
the community and the impact you make in the lives of those you touch.

2020 Recipient:
Rev. LeDayne McLeese Polaski, Executive Director of MeckMIN​

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, MeckMIN executive director LeDayne McLeese Polaski invited faith, community, and nonprofit leaders to join a virtual meeting to discuss how houses of faith were responding to the pandemic, what help and resources nonprofits needed to be able to do their work, and most importantly, how we as a community could work together to compassionately respond to the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors during this crisis. These virtual gatherings have reconvened every week since then, providing a wonderful platform for the development of relationships and synergies across many faith, race, and cultural backgrounds. LeDayne has facilitated through this group the sharing of community resources and the gathering of essential supplies for the homeless, the refugee, and anyone else who is struggling with mental, physical, or financial difficulties. The group has supported virtual student learning, been educated on ways to combat racism, discussed safety protocols for returning to in-person worship services, and encouraged a peaceful and inclusive national election. Reverend LeDayne McLeese Polaski is this year's Light the World award recipient because she exemplifies what it means to be your neighbors keeper and continues to extend the invitation to people of all beliefs to serve "the least of these.”

2019 Recipient:
Waxhaw United Methodist Church - Fixing it For Christ

Fixing It for Christ was started in 2007 by the Waxhaw United Methodist Church as a way to help their neighbors in the Waxhaw area. Over the years, it has become a multi-denominational service project where they spend four days in June each year working with members of over 20 different area churches and some local businesses to repair homes and do other necessary work for people in our community who cannot do it for themselves due to sickness, old age, lack of resources, or other issues. The volunteers build ramps, lay flooring, do landscaping, paint, fix plumbing or electrical problems, and many other needed tasks. Another group of volunteers prepares a hot breakfast, a sack lunch, and a hot dinner each day to feed the 400-600 volunteers. Fixing it for Christ has helped our area churches and community work together for the greater good and personifies what it means to “light the world”.