Honoring Britta Schwab: 2025 Margo Atwood Award Recipient
During our Annual Celebration, we were proud to present the 2025 Margo Atwood Award to Britta Schwab, whose work exemplifies innovation, compassion, and collaboration in support of mental health awareness and community connection.
Britta has played a key role in developing the Handle with Care Project, a training initiative she created as part of her Ph.D. dissertation. The project helps police officers from York City and Hanover Borough better understand and respond to individuals living with mental health conditions—particularly those who experience distressing voices.
Led by Bell staff, the training features a powerful lived-experience component where individuals share their personal mental health journeys. Britta not only coordinates logistics and provides snacks for participants, but she has also written grants to help sustain and grow the program.
A former Bell volunteer and employee, Britta continues to stay deeply involved in meaningful ways—and we’re so grateful she remains part of the Bell family.
Britta shared: “I’m deeply honored to receive the Margo Atwood Award from Bell Socialization Services in recognition of my work on the Handle with Care Project. This recognition is not mine alone—it reflects the incredible collaboration of so many individuals and partners who make this work possible.
I’m so grateful to Kris Stroup, Averie Clark, and the entire team at Bell, as well as Captain Daniel Lentz and Police Commissioner Michael Muldrow of the York City Police Department, and Lieutenant Joseph Bunty of the Hanover Borough Police Department, for their steadfast commitment to building safer, more compassionate connections between law enforcement and our community members with disabilities and mental health conditions.
Receiving this award is an honor, but the greatest privilege is being able to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and families in my home community.”
From helping launch innovative programs to nurturing partnerships that make York a more compassionate place, Britta embodies the spirit of care and collaboration that defines Bell.
Congratulations, Britta—and thank you for the lasting difference you make throughout our community.