DHA HONORED AS 2002 “REGIONAL AGENCY OF THE YEAR”
The Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) honored the Department of Human Assistance as the "Regional Agency of the Year" for its neighborhood shuttle program.
This innovative mode of transportation, which includes the Franklin Villa Shuttle 
and the North Area Neighborhood Ride 
projects, provides residents of these low-income and under-served communities with inexpensive transportation alternatives. Smaller and easily accessed busses deviate from fixed-route services and are more neighborhood and customer friendly.
Three individuals and five organizations were honored for their contributions to improving the quality of life in the six-county Sacramento region during the fourth-annual "SACOG Salutes! 2002" awards presentation on Thursday, December 12, 2002.
In addition to DHA's Agency of the Year, SACOG awarded:
- Business of the Year
- KVIE Channel 6
- Project of the Year
- Sacramento County Department of Transportation, Watt Avenue Improvement Project
- Citizen of the Year
- Mary Brill, President, Sacramento County Alliance of Neighborhoods
- Elected Official of the Year
- Tom Stallard, Yolo County Supervisor
- Employee of the Year
- David Butler, Senior Vice-President, Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
This year, two Special Recognition awards were presented to Grant Joint Union High School District and Los Rios Community College District as organizations whose contributions do not fall into any of the established categories.
The Sacramento Area Council of Governments is the transportation planning and funding agency for the Sacramento Valley region, guiding transportation planning and investment for the entire Sacramento Valley region. Member governments include El Dorado County, Placer County, Sacramento County, Sutter County, Yolo County and Yuba County, as well as their cities and towns.
Congratulations to all the awardees.