Arts In Reach Honored with a Sustainability Award For Outstanding Governance

Arts In Reach Honored with a Sustainability Award For Outstanding Governance
 

Portsmouth, NH – March 25, 2025 – Arts In Reach (AIR) is proud to announce that New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility (NHBSR) has recognized AIR with a 2025 Sustainability Award. The NHBSR Sustainability Awards celebrate organizations that support strong communities, build workplaces that respect and value employees and their families, and demonstrate care about the impact our businesses have on the world around us. AIR was honored in the Governance category for displaying outstanding leadership and management practices that prioritize transparency, accountability, and ethical resolve. NHBSR acknowledged AIR for its dedication to a clear strategic direction, high standards of integrity, and a clear vision for achieving its mission.

“AIR’s stakeholder engagement is truly impressive. AIR continually solicits input from their young participants and their families, and parents and alumni serve in leadership capacities. The voices and vision of AIR teens permeate decision-making at every level of the organization,” remarked Zeina Eyceoz, deputy director of NHBSR.

"Our mission is to inspire youth to be bold, elevate their voices, and create the lives they imagine,” says Jennifer Minicucci, executive director at AIR. “Over the course of 27 years, this mission led the way through innumerable challenges, adapting to economic shifts, the advent of social media and smartphones, the decline in teen mental health since COVID, and the recognition of neurodivergence, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and gender expansiveness. AIR sits now in a place more financially sound, visionary, and impactful than ever in its history.”

Founded in 1997, AIR has improved the success trajectory of more than 2,500 teens through free, arts-based mentoring programs that instill a sense of self, belonging, and purpose. The organization has long been recognized for its inclusive programming that removes barriers to access, including transportation at no cost. AIR’s governance model ensures ethical stewardship and a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of its work.

“This award reinforces AIR’s commitment to effective resource allocation, and our participatoryapproach to leadership,” said Karin Barndollar, Board Chair. “We are grateful for this award, which serves as constant motivation to uphold the highest standards of leadership and integrityfor the benefit of the youth we serve.”

The NH Sustainability Awards, informed by the Measure What Matters 101 Survey, highlight organizations leading collaborative efforts to enhance social, environmental, and economic sustainability. AIR extends gratitude to NHBSR and the broader New Hampshire business and nonprofit community for recognizing the power of responsible governance in driving positive change.

About Arts In Reach:

For more information about Arts In Reach and its programs, please visit www.artsinreach.org.