2017 NMAF Award Winner
For devoted individuals or groups who have made a significant effort
to stimulate public understanding and appreciation of architecture and in their community.
In the last 30 years, the Cornerstones Community Partnerships has helped transform 380 architectural treasures, historic sites, structures, and churches. Cornerstones prides itself in teaching and using only traditional building methods and trains youth and adults directly using a hands-on approach. The education program teaches culturally sensitive programs with a transformational and fun goal in mind.
The organization believes an involved community takes pride in its historic buildings and cultural values. It appreciates the time people give, whether it’s an hour or days and wants volunteering to be mutually beneficial, so, it works with volunteers to make sure they get the most out of their experience.
Cornerstones has been helping maintain and build our state’s communities since 1986 by helping communities repair their historic buildings. They help, advise and guide, they do not come in and “take over” a project. We are lucky to have them.
Cornerstones helps communities continue their cultural heritage by assisting them with the care of their historic buildings by assisting in restoring historic structures, encouraging traditional building practices, anding affirm cultural values through the following activities:
- Actively promoting and conducting training experiences for youth and professionals to sustain traditional building skills.
- Maintaining a community-based organization in Santa Fe and the surrounding area to support the effort.
- Reaching out and responding to communities in Northern New Mexico, the State and throughout the greater Southwest to assist preservation efforts on an as-needed basis dependent on resources available.
- Partnering with communities, other not-for-profits, public institutions, individuals and volunteer organizations, county, state and federal agencies to sustain and further the mission.
If you’d like to get more involved, visit http://cstones.org/education/
Photos courtesy of Cornerstones Community Partnerships
New Mexico Architectural Foundation 
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