PHOTO PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
AWARD WINNER … Kelly Feeney, left, Housing and Energy Services Director at NOCAC, received the David C. Rinebolt Community Service Award.
Defiance, Ohio – When Kelly Feeney, Housing and Energy Services Director at Northwestern Ohio Community Action Commission (NOCAC), received recognition and the David C. Rinebolt Community Service Award during the last week of September, it was not only a statewide honor but also a reflection of her continually setting a high standard in serving others.
Feeney’s drive and work ethic have always been apparent from her first day at NOCAC in 1997.
She was hired as a part-time administrative assistant and in less than five years was leading the program as Housing and Energy Director, a role she continues to hold today.
Feeney realized early on that weatherization and home repair are about more than insulation and fixing what is broken; it’s about connecting with people, offering hope and recognizing the worth of every person regardless of their income or the neighborhood they call home.
Feeney is a quiet force, one that does not seek recognition, but her knowledge, determination and compassion have made an ongoing and substantial impact in all the counties NOCAC serves.
Beyond supporting her team, she is also considered a trusted resource to her Community Action peers across Ohio.
Feeney’s career reflects what Community Action is meant to be, meeting people where they are, recognizing their dignity and helping them build something better.
The award is presented by the Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy (OPAE) annually at the Weatherize Ohio Conference.
Recipients of the award are recognized for professional knowledge, compassion, advocacy and commitment to improving people’s lives through leadership in energy assistance and weatherization programs.
The award is named in honor of Dave Rinebolt, the founding director of OPAE, who died in 2021. His guiding phrase was “Be Good to One Another.”