Washington, D.C., June 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Jefferson Awards Foundation, the nation’s most prestigious and longest-standing organization dedicated to inspiring and celebrating public service, announced recipients for three of its 2018 national awards. The individuals will receive their awards at the organization’s 46th Annual Jefferson Awards D.C. National Ceremony at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. on June 28, 2018.
“The Jefferson Awards Foundation has a long, storied history of inspiring action and giving Americans a platform to better serve their communities,” said Hillary Schafer, Jefferson Awards Foundation CEO. “This year, in particular, we are proud to honor the individuals, organizations and companies who are bringing their communities together at a time when our country is experiencing so much division.”
“Our honorees come from many backgrounds and walks of life but share a commitment to driving positive change and motivating others around them to do the same. The Jefferson Awards Foundation recognizes those who have dedicated their lives to serving others, while creating a path for others who want to follow in their footsteps.”
This year, the Jefferson Awards Foundation will honor the following individuals for their public service efforts and initiatives:
- Elaine Wynn will receive the S. Roger Horchow Award for Outstanding Public Service by a Private Citizen. Wynn has established herself as a savvy business leader, an indomitable crusader for children’s welfare and an influential philanthropist. She is a tireless advocate of programs and services for children who live in poverty. As a Trustee of the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation, Elaine is personally and actively involved, with her family, in a variety of community organizations whose passions and priorities mirror her own.
- National Football League player Chris Long of the Philadelphia Eagles will be honored with the award for Outstanding Public Service in Professional Sports. Long has dedicated himself to supporting bright futures for communities and the individuals that make up those communities as Chairman of the Chris Long Foundation. In 2017, he donated his entire salary to education initiatives to help generate opportunity for underserved youth. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion.
- Minnesota natives Abbie Nelson and Pia Phillips are both being honored for Outstanding Service by a Young American 25 or Under for their work through PAB’S PACKS, a nonprofit organization providing comfort and encouragement to chronically ill teenagers. Since 2015, PAB’S PACKS has provided nearly 3,000 custom designed backpacks filled with hand-selected items to make the hospital feel more like home.
As Jefferson Award winners, Wynn, Long, Nelson and Phillips will join an impressive and diverse group of alumni that includes Elie Wiesel, Oprah Winfrey, Bill & Melinda Gates, Joe Torre, Paul Newman and Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
During the National Ceremony, the foundation will also present awards to leading high school teams and employees at major corporations who engage their communities in service through the Jefferson Awards Foundation’s Students In Action and Champions programs.
Five grassroots unsung heroes, selected by our Media Partners in communities across the country, will receive the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting the Local Community.
This year’s event is sponsored by the NFL, Vodafone, Clearsight Advisors, Deloitte, The Glover Park Group and United Steelworkers. To purchase tickets for the National Ceremony or to learn more about the Jefferson Awards Foundation and this year’s honorees, please visit: www.JeffersonAwards.org/ceremony
About the Jefferson Awards Foundation
The Jefferson Awards Foundation (JAF) powers others to have maximum impact on the things they care about most. They are the largest multiplier of public service in America. Through celebration, they inspire action. With programs and partnerships, they drive Americans to change their communities and the world. They are celebrating 46 years of powering public service. To learn more about the Jefferson Awards Foundation, visit: JeffersonAwards.org or engage with their community on Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Facebook.
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