Paul R. Cherney, 1933
B.A., Denison University
M.S., Case Western Reserve University
Mobile, Ala.
Citation awarded on Saturday, June 2, 1973
For 30 of his 38 years of professional experience in social service, Paul Russell Cherney has been associated with United Fund-Community Chest agencies in different aspects of service, including marriage and family counseling, health and mental health, child care and protection, and neighborhood centers. For the other eight years he did similar work in government, both local and federal, and notably with the newly established government in Japan immediately following World War II. He has directed national and local projects to demonstrate how the work of governmental agencies can be coordinated with the voluntary efforts of citizens and private organizations to produce better community conditions. One of the earliest of these, sponsored by the U.S. Children’s Bureau, produced the government publication, “A Community Plans for Its Children” (1947). The latest was the National Coalition Planning Project carried out in 12 pilot cities (1968-71) under sponsorship of the United Way of America and several federal government agencies. This project anticipated the trend to consolidate and decentralize government grant-in-aid programs, and suggested ways to improve the decision-making process in local communities. It also advanced the idea that land-use and physical development, economic development, and social development all must go hand-in-hand.
His present work as coordinator of Community Development United Fund-Community Chest & Council, City Planning Commission, Regional Health Planning Council, Housing Board, and Community Action Agency in Mobile, Ala., is further testing out and implementing of the community development concept.
