NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Multiplying Good announces it will celebrate 50 years of service at the 50th Annual Jefferson Awards, on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, at 7:30 PM ET held at the Zeigfeld Ballroom in New York City. 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. 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.
“For 50 years, the Jefferson Awards has worked to change the narrative – that 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 millions and inspiring action.
Multiplying Good will present Jefferson Awards in a variety of categories:
Sharon McMahon, “America’s Government Teacher” will be recognized with the S. Roger Horchow Award for Outstanding Public Service by a Private Citizen for her work dispelling misinformation on the internet as well as raiseing more than $4.2 million for charities like RIP Medical Debt and World Central Kitchen, with the help of her online community. Furthermore, as a champion of teachers and education, Sharon most recently raised over $1.2 million dollars in one weekend in August 2022 with 100% of the money going to $500 individual teacher grants.
General Jacqueline D. Van Ovost, Commander of U.S. Transportation Command, will receive the US Senator John Heinz Award for Outstanding Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official. As the senior ranking female officer in the Department of Defense, Gen Van Ovost has championed multiple initiatives related to the diversity, resilience, and lethality of the joint force leading to positive operational results. In her role as the USTRANSCOM Commander, she is the key logistics advisor to the Secretary of Defense and has overseen the Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise’s operations supporting humanitarian response missions, the Presidentially directed Operation Baby Formula, and the US’s persistent supply of aid to Ukraine that has enabled the continued defense of their nation against unprovoked Russian aggression. Gen Van Ovost is a command pilot with more than 4,200 hours in over 40 aircraft and has served over 30 years in defense of the United States.
John Calipari, Head Coach of University of Kentucky Men’s Basketball, will receive the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service in Professional Sports. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer has spent his career off the court giving back – a personal mission rooted in his principles of drawing attention to a cause, providing immediate needs and generating lasting impact. Most recently, he launched the McClendon Minority Leadership Initiative – a coach-driven initiative to provide men and women of color a jump-start to their careers through practical experiences, opportunities to build their network, and instilling the values of John McLendon: integrity, education, leadership, and mentorship.
The Samuel S. Beard Award for Outstanding Public Service by an Individual(s) 35 & Under will be presented to Ben Collier, James Kanoff, and Aidan Reilly, founders of The Farmlink Project. These three college students saw a problem in the world and built a scrappy, grassroots solution that's changing the world. Their premise was that no one should have to go to bed hungry while perfectly viable produce goes to waste. a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting farms with surplus produce to relief organizations delivering millions of healthy meals to families in need. To date, they have prevented 41 million lbs. of carbon emissions, moved 75 million pounds of food and delivered 62.5 million meals – all in just two years’ time.
Multiplying Good will also present Jefferson Awards to its program participants who have demonstrated a high level of impact through service.
The Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service by an Employee will be presented 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 top youth service team from the Students in Action service leadership program will receive the Gold Jefferson Award.
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.
