Nominees are being accepted through the end of the month for the fourth annual Iowa Job Honor Awards.

Kyle Horn is the founder and director of the Des Moines-based America’s Job Honor Awards. Horn says they’re looking for people who have overcome workforce barriers to find success. The winners get cash prizes and more.

“We create biographical videos for all of our honorees,” Horn says. “The centerpiece of what we do is capturing their story on video. We’ve had some enormously moving stories in prior years of individuals who’ve overcome several challenges to employment.”

Past winners have gotten past a host of difficulties that initially kept them from finding gainful employment.

“It may be some form of physical or mental disability, prior criminal convictions, perhaps it’s their status as a refugee or immigrants with limited English proficiency,” Horn says. “It’s really amazing to see how individuals have overcome employment barriers to find success in the workforce.”

The top honorees will receive checks for $500 and their employers will also be recognized. The deadline to enter is July 31st.

“We really look forward to receiving nominations from across the state,” Horn says. “We always like to see a diversity of employment barriers that have been overcome as well as a geographic diversity across the state of Iowa.”

The winners will be recognized this fall at a ceremony scheduled for October 11th at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Learn more about the program and how to nominate someone at jobhonor.org.

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City