From left, Bill Halle, executive director of the Grace Youth and Family Foundation, Matt Perkins, pastor of New Beginnings Free Methodist Church, and Sally and Dana Perkins attend the Butler County Human Services Holiday Breakfast. The church and the Perkinses were presented the first volunteerism awards at the breakfast.

Butler County Human Services has presented its first volunteerism awards to a couple and a Butler church.

The Butler County Human Services’ Spirit of Volunteerism Award was given to Dana and Sally Perkins, volunteer coordinators of the Butler County Winter Relief Center, which is operated by the Grace Youth and Family Foundation.

The center, which opened in 2011, provides shelter to the homeless and those with no heat in their home from mid-November through March 31.

In 2013, 48 individuals and nine families were provided housing.

The pair speak at organizations and churches about the center to recruit volunteers. They also schedule the volunteers who staff the center.

The second award was given to the New Beginnings Free Methodist Church. Pastor Matt Perkins accepted the award.

Church members were the driving force behind the creation of the Winter Relief Center.

A group came to the Local Housing Options Team proposing a partnership to develop a program to serve homeless residents during the winter.

The church continues to support the center by providing volunteers, organizing and running fundraisers and storing items for the center.