Described by peers and colleagues as having contagious passion for helping kids, Jim Blue proves himself to be a relentless advocate for children. At the recent meeting of the Nebraska Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Blue, President of CEDARS (www.cedarskids.org), was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
While the vast majority of Blue’s career has been dedicated to the children and youth of Southeast Nebraska, his influence can also been seen in other areas of the social work spectrum. Having spent his early years with Catholic Social Services, Blue spent considerable time and energy developing programs to support Lincoln’s role in providing resettlement support to refugees.
In 1991, Blue was hired to serve as President of Youth Service System, which merged with CEDARS Home for Children in 1996. At that time, Blue became President and CEO of CEDARS Youth Services, the newly formed programming corporation, and CEDARS Home for Children Foundation. When Blue began his leadership, CEDARS was a $1 million organization providing out-of-home services to children and youth who had no other safe place to stay. Today, CEDARS continues that critical work; the organization has grown to be a $13 million agency with a strong footprint in out-of-home services, prevention programming and juvenile justice work.
For more information about CEDARS, please call 402-434-KIDS(5437) or visit www.cedarskids.org.