‘A Home for Everyone’ Award Presented to Kathy Pinkerton

Published on April 10, 2025

AMES, Iowa – The Ames Human Relations Commission (AHRC) presented its annual “A Home for Everyone” award to Kathy Pinkerton at the Ames City Council meeting held Tuesday.

“A Home for Everyone” award recognizes and honors a worthy individual or organization that has made an exemplary commitment to providing safe, quality, and equitable housing opportunities that enhance the quality of life of members of disadvantaged populations in the Ames community. AHRC presents the award annually during April, which is Fair Housing Month.

Pinkerton is the Service Center Administrator for The Salvation Army (TSA) of Ames, which provides rent and utility assistance to eligible Story County households, helping many households avoid evictions and utility shutoffs. TSA also provides emergency shelter in the form of hotel vouchers, helping more than 20 households a month during extreme cold weather events this winter. Pinkerton also serves as a member of the Homelessness Outreach Support Team, conducting outreach to unhoused community members and connecting them with resources and services. 

As noted in the nomination, “Kathy’s impact on our community is immeasurable. She has helped to keep people safe in dangerous conditions, but she has also ensured people have access to food, clothing, and case management. She treats people with kindness, dignity, and respect.”

In presenting the award, AHRC Vice Chair Annabella Marquez thanked Pinkerton for her service to the community. Commission Member Shawn Kenny also helped present the award.

The AHRC’s purpose is to help minimize or eliminate the existence of discrimination in the community, promote goodwill among the various racial, religious, and ethnic groups in the community, and cooperate with other organizations to develop programs designed to eliminate racial, religious, cultural, and intergroup tensions.

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