Everyone could use a spark to get them going, especially during a pandemic. Which is why the prize the Gwinnett Coalition won this summer was so uplifting to the organization.

The coalition won the United Way’s SPARK prize in July, earning grant money for its G.R.E.A.T. Little Minds project to promote early childhood reading. The coalition claimed the top prize, earning $25,000, as well as the “viewer’s choice” award from online voting that added an extra $1,000 to the grant.