Brenda Dixon, president of the Gloucester branch of the NAACP, has received the first HOPE Award established by Sisters in the Spirit Ministries, Inc.

Sisters in the Spirit president/founder Dr. Katrina W. Brown said HOPE is an acronym for Helping Others with Purpose and Empowerment. She said the award will be presented “to those working in the Gloucester and Mathews communities who, through their selfless efforts, facilitation, or direct service, are blessing others.”

The Sisters in the Spirit board unanimously endorsed Dixon’s selection, Brown said, describing her as “a woman who truly embodies the spirit of the HOPE Award” which recognizes those who willingly go above and beyond expectations to make a difference in the lives of others.

“Mrs. Dixon is an amazing woman, and we are so gratified to be able to recognize her efforts,” noted Brown. Highlights from Mrs. Dixon’s nomination pointed out that “currently she is the President of the Gloucester NAACP. In this capacity she works to fulfill the mission of the organization, working to make racial equity a reality. She is a registered nurse by profession. Mrs. Dixon mobilized health officials in the Middle Peninsula and the Northern Neck, and partnered with the Three Rivers Health District to conduct COVID-19 vaccination clinics for those in Gloucester and Mathews counties.”

The nomination continues, “At a time when individuals 65 and older were having difficulty getting vaccination appointments, Mrs. Dixon took action. She was unrelenting in facilitating the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, particularly for the elderly. Along with the NAACP, Mrs. Dixon worked tirelessly with other community organizations and with area churches to get the word out about the benefits of the vaccine, and to encourage getting the COVID-19 shot.”

Brown added that “Mrs. Dixon is a woman of faith, commitment, and dedicated to serving others. Sisters in the Spirit Ministries is so proud to present our first HOPE Award to her.”

She said that SIS “is an outreach ministry created to empower, enlighten, and encourage Christian women in better serving the Lord. The organization created The HOPE Award as a way to publicly acknowledge those who are living in accordance with God’s Word, which says to ‘trust in the Lord and do good.’”