Listen to Long Haul’s award winners

The Lord God Bird

The Ivory Billed Woodpecker was thought to be extinct, until one was allegedly spotted near the small town of Brinkley, Arkansas. The sightings were big news in a community depressed by recession and population loss. Our story weaves the locals' reaction with an original song written and performed by musician Sufjan Stevens. Winner of the Sigma Delta Chi award for best national radio feature.

American Dreamer: Sam’s Story

Sam was brought to the United States by his parents as a young child. It wasn’t until he was asked to fill in his social security number on a financial aid form that he began to realize the consequences of being undocumented. We met Sam just before he graduated from high school and worked with him to share his story, which won the Edward R. Murrow award for Best National Radio Documentary, Third Coast International Audio Festival "Radio Impact" award, and Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism (Runner-up).

Movin’ Out the Bricks

As the Chicago Housing Authority systematically demolished its notorious high-rise projects in favor of redeveloped mixed-income communities and Section 8 apartment, single mom Catherine Means moved from Chicago's Stateway Gardens high-rise housing project to her first private-market apartment. Long Haul followed Coco and her kids for over a year, from Stateway to her new apartment on the South Side. Her story won the Society of Professional Journalists' Award for Best National Radio Documentary.

Scenes from a Transplant

An NPR reporter leaves her three-year-old son and heads to Omaha—for cancer treatment—a last chance to save her life. Scenes from a Transplant received the Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) with a perfect score; one judge said it was the best documentary he'd ever heard. It also won the duPont-Columbia Silver Baton Award; the National Federation of Community Broadcasters Award; the Silver Hugo Award; and the New York Festival World Medal for Health and Medical Information Award.

Dear Birth Mother

After waiting for Mr. Right, and after years of fertility treatments, Suzanne, a single woman in her forties, decided to adopt. She chose transracial adoption. We followed Suzanne through the process; she offered extraordinary access into every aspect of her life. This story won the Third Coast International Audio Festival Gold Award for best radio documentary, and garnered an honorable mention in the 2006 Casey Medals for Meritorious Journalism.

Learning to Live: James’ Story

The story of an ex-felon's transition from prison to the free world. James, who narrates, was released after completing a seven-year prison term for burglary; we followed him as he transitioned out. The story won the Edward R. Murrow Award; the Third Coast International Audio Festival Public Service Award; and the Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi Award. Judges in the latter competition called it "a tightly straightforward report that skillfully wove actuality and narration, James telling his story as only he could. It was clear, concise and remarkably comprehensive."