Leslie Lindo, co-founder and executive director of Project Rising, was presented with the 2014 Walton Sustainability Solutions Award at Social Venture Partners of Arizona's "Fast Pitch" competition. The award, given by Arizona State University’s Sustainability Solutions Festival, recognizes Lindo's vision to foster a stronger, healthier community by reactivating the vacant lots of Phoenix using sustainable building techniques.

"The businesses Project Rising engenders from the community offer long-term employment in Arizona, safe lighting for neighborhoods, community gathering places and social connectivity," said Kelly Saunders, a "Fast Pitch" judge and project coordinator of the Sustainability Solutions Festival. "Project Rising understands that it is more sustainable and successful to create a community with the community."