Harmony Health Plan, Inc. recently honored five local champions in northern Illinois who are dedicated to helping their community members live better, healthier lives. The 2018 Harmony CommUnity Hero awards, now in their second year, were based on nominations received from throughout the region and were distributed based on five categories including healthcare, government and policy, education, advocacy and community support. One of the winners is:

Advocacy – Neli Vazquez Rowland, co-founder and president of A Safe Haven Foundation (ASHF), Chicago. In 1994, Rowland and her husband founded ASHF with their personal finances and, today, have impacted the lives of more than 100,000 people, helping them to break the cycle of poverty and achieve financial independence with their pride, purpose and dreams restored. Vazquez-Rowland’s goal is to inspire a paradigm shift in how our nation addresses the issues of poverty, homelessness and substance abuse.. For the complete list of winners, visit www.wellcare.com/Illinois