Rochester has been named a 2020 All-America City by the National Civic League (NCL). The title was awarded Aug. 19 following a three-day virtual competition with other communities from across the country.

The All-America City Award was established by the NCL in 1949 to recognize and celebrate the best examples of civic innovation in America. Cities and towns throughout the nation are invited to submit applications to vie for the title, showcasing three projects that exemplify how a commitment to collaboration, civic engagement, innovation and inclusiveness has helped to address local issues and enhance their communities. Approximately 20 finalists are chosen to compete and ten winners are ultimately selected from this group.

“I am so proud of our city, and I want to express my appreciation to the National Civic League for selecting Rochester as an All-America City,” said Mayor Lovely A. Warren. “We are extremely fortunate to live in a community that consistently works together for the greater good of all of our residents. I want to especially thank everyone who worked so hard on this presentation and represented our community so beautifully. Thank you for sharing with other cities what we’ve known for a long time - - that Rochester is a great place to live and raise a family.”

Rochester’s bid to become a 2020 All-America City was spear-headed by the City of Rochester and the Greater Rochester Health Foundation, in conjunction with community partners Ibero-American Action League, Common Ground Health and Rochester Area Community Foundation.

The three projects submitted by Rochester for the NCL’s consideration were Project HOPE, a neighborhood-driven visioning plan in the El Camino neighborhood; the High Blood Pressure Collaborative, which helps residents address the myriad health issues associated with high blood pressure using innovative approaches; and the Community Task Force on School Climate, which is dedicated to abolishing the school-to-prison pipeline that entangles far too many youth. More information about these projects can be found here.

"We are happy to designate Rochester as an All-America City,” said National Civic League President Doug Linkhart. “They showed us through their application and presentation that they do a great job of engaging the whole city in enhancing health and well-being."

Rochester’s presentation team included representatives from the City of Rochester Mayor’s Office, Rochester Area Community Foundation, Common Ground Health, Ibero-American Action League, The Center for Teen Empowerment, The Children’s Agenda, Alliance for Quality Education of New York, Citizen Action of New York – Rochester Chapter, and a variety of neighborhood leaders and youth. Creative director and Latina Storyteller Annette Ramos, along with production partners WXXI and staff from the City’s video department, also played key roles in making the virtual presentation possible.

To view the city of Rochester’s award winning virtual presentation click here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=1456360231235719&ref=watch_permalink (Rochester's presentation begins at approximately the 30-minute mark), or take a look at the #ROCforward video introduction: https://youtu.be/T9zYhkIpwYw.

Prior to this year’s victorious win, Rochester had previously been named an All-America City in 1981 and 1998.

Rochester Wins 2020 All-America City Award