NEW YORK, July 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Multiplying Good announced it will host the 49th annual Jefferson Awards, on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at 7:30 PM ET. The event celebrates extraordinary service to others performed by notable public figures and Multiplying Good program participants. All honorees have made a commitment to service that has resulted in positive transformation in their community. Presented online, the Jefferson Awards will bring together supporters, past award recipients, and service champions. The event will be an opportunity to see a collection of inspiring stories that celebrate the power of service to others. Viewers will hear remarks from Multiplying Good CEO Hillary Schafer, Board Member and event host Norah O’Donnell, and more. Multiplying Good will also host a virtual red carpet on Instagram at 6:30 PM ET.
“For nearly 50 years, the Jefferson Awards has elevated the good that is happening all around us,” said Hillary Schafer, CEO of Multiplying Good. “When we celebrate service on our biggest stage, those stories echo across the nation, reaching thousands of Americans and inspiring them into action.”
Multiplying Good will present Jefferson Awards in a variety of categories:
DeAndre Brown, Executive Director of Lifeline to Success, will be recognized with the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged.
“Working with the formerly incarcerated population means working with individuals who have been silenced and in a lot of ways invisible,” explained Brown. “As much as this award is a celebration of what I’ve done, it confirms that more people see the contributions our clients are having in their communities.”
Joan Ganz Cooney, co-founder of Sesame Workshop, will receive the Jefferson Award for Lifetime Achievement in Public Service.
“At Sesame Workshop, we have always believed that bringing children lessons of kindness is absolutely as important as teaching them letters and numbers,” said Cooney. “This award reflects our efforts over more than 50 years to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder, helping them to develop the generosity of spirit recognized by Multiplying Good. I am humbled to receive this honor on behalf of Sesame Workshop and the children and families we serve.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci will receive the US Senator John Heinz Award for Outstanding Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official for his decades-long career as the Director of NIAID. In his role, Dr. Fauci oversees an extensive research portfolio of basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases such as HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis, and malaria.
Multiplying Good will present the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service by a Corporation to JUST Goods Inc., the company behind sustainable water brand JUST Water. Co-founded by Drew Fitzgerald and Jaden Smith, JUST empowers people to make the world cleaner and healthier by providing sustainable products, that reduce the impact humans have on the planet.
“At JUST, we believe everyone deserves a healthy planet, body, and life,” said Kara Rubin, Vice President, Brand & Product Strategy at JUST. “For us, that begins with responsibly sourced spring water and ends with helping others make a positive impact on the environment. We’re honored to be recognized for that and hope to inspire others to pass the goodness along.”
The Samuel S. Beard Award for Outstanding Public Service by an Individual(s) 35 & Under will be presented to Margot Bellon & Isabel Wang, founders of Bridging Tech, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bridging the digital divide.
“When we set out to make access to technology more equitable, winning an award was the furthest thing from our minds,” Bellon and Wang said. “It feels amazing to have our work recognized, and we hope it helps bring more attention to the inequities so many families experiencing homelessness face when accessing technology.”
Jess Ladd, founder of Callisto, a nonprofit creating technology to combat sexual assault, support survivors, and advance justice, will receive the S. Roger Horchow Award for Outstanding Public Service by a Private Citizen.
Multiplying Good will also be present Jefferson Awards to its program participants who have demonstrated a high level of impact through service. Top youth service teams from the Students In Action (SIA) service leadership program will receive the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Jefferson Awards. Multiplying Good will present two Bronze awards for the first time, a decision made after a tie was calculated during the judging of the SIA youth service projects.
“Throughout the past year and a half, youth have risen to meet the challenges of a global pandemic, increasing racial tensions, and remote learning,” explained Sarah Fanslau, Vice President of Youth Programs. “Their service projects have facilitated sustainable and measurable solutions for some of the biggest issues facing their communities.”
Multiplying Good will present the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service by an Employee to an employee representing one of the companies participating in its Recognition Champion program. Additionally, dozens of local media outlets participating in the Multiplying Good Media Partner program have chosen grassroots unsung heroes to represent their communities during the awards. Five of them will receive the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting Local Communities.
“Our programs help individuals discover just how much they can do to make the country a better place,” explained Kelly Woolf, Chief Impact Officer at Multiplying Good. “The Jefferson Award gives those participants the opportunity to celebrate the impact they’ve had on others and to reflect on the value service brings to their own lives.”
The Jefferson Awards is the nation’s largest and longest-running awards ceremony honoring public service.
About Multiplying Good
Multiplying Good is a national nonprofit that believes in the power of service to others to unleash potential, inspire individuals, and transform lives. Multiplying Good fuels personal growth and leadership development through a continuum that starts with engagement and culminates in recognition. It has offices in 11 communities across the country, delivering on-the-ground impact where it is needed most. Founded in 1972 by Sam Beard, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Senator Robert Taft, Jr., the organization has recognized the extraordinary public service of thousands with its Jefferson Award. To learn more, visit MultiplyingGood.org or follow Multiplying Good on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
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