TAMPA – Joseph Germain, Pastor to Internationals at the First Baptist Church of Temple Terrace and a longtime supporter of Lutheran Services Florida, was honored at the thirty-seventh annual Human Rights Awards Celebration in Tampa.

Pastor Germain received the Eddie Mitchell Memorial Award.

Pastor Germain works with LSF refugee clients at his church. He has hosted refugee health workshops, held ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes, and transported LSF clients to events and appointments.

“We are thrilled to see Pastor Germain receive this recognition,” said Lourdes Mesias, Manager of Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services at LSF. “He is truly a blessing to us in his tireless work on behalf of our clients.”

The Tampa/Hillsborough County Human Rights Council hosted the breakfast event, which was held last month at the Doubletree Westshore Hotel and was sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida. The Human Rights Awards Breakfast honors deserving citizens, leaders and organizations that ensure human rights remain a high priority in the region.

The primary purpose of the Tampa/Hillsborough Human Rights Council is to advocate and promote through education, publicity, negotiations and other means – the legitimate and human rights of all residents of Hillsborough County.

Whenever feasible, the Council works in cooperation with, and in support of, established community agencies/groups that are dedicated to the defense and strengthening of these rights, and in its membership and actions which reflect such goals.