Awards, May 29, 2008

The following awards have been presented for work in advocacy, fund raising, nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, and other areas:

Community service. The Marin Community Foundation (Novato, Calif.) has presented its 2008 Beryl H. Buck Awards for Achievement to Cesar Lagleva, who will receive $10,000, and Legal Aid of Marin (San Rafael, Calif.), which will receive $25,000.

Mr. Lagleva was honored for his efforts to help poor residents of Marin County, Calif., as a social worker with the county’s Department of Health and Human Services.

Legal Aid of Marin was recognized for its social-justice efforts for children, older people, homeless and disabled individuals, and immigrants.

The awards are given annually to an individual and a group whose activities directly benefit residents of Marin County.

Jewish life and culture. The AVI CHAI Foundation (New York) has announced the inaugural recipients of its fellowship competition. The winners, who each receive $225,000 over three years:

— Ariel Beery and Aharon Horwitz, co-founders of the PresenTense Group (New York), which publishes a magazine and operates a social-entrepreneurship group for young Jews.

— Betsy Dolgin Katz, North American director of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School (Northbrook, Ill.), which provides education for Jewish adults.

— Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, co-founder of Mechon Hadar: an Institute for Prayer, Personal Growth and Jewish Study (New York), a network of grass-roots Jewish organizations.

— Rabbi Dov Linzer, dean of the Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School (New York).

— Rabbi Menachem Schmidt, co-founder of the Lubavitch House at the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), which operates Jewish programs for residents of Philadelphia.

Political thought. The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation (Milwaukee) has presented its 2008 Bradley Prizes to honor outstanding achievement consistent with the foundation’s mission, which includes “the promotion of liberal democracy, democratic capitalism, and a vigorous defense of American institutions.” The recipients, who each received a $250,000 cash prize:

— Gary S. Becker, a professor of economics and sociology at the U. of Chicago.

— Victor Davis Hanson, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution (Stanford, Calif.).

— Alan Charles Kors, a professor of history at the U. of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia).

— Robert L. Woodson Sr., president of the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise (Washington).

Social entrepreneurship. The Skandalaris Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Washington University in St. Louis and the YouthBridge Community Foundation (St. Louis) announced the winners of the 2008 Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition.

The Businesses, Employment, Growth, Incomes, Neighborhoods New Venture Center at St. Patrick’s Center (St. Louis) received $15,000 in honor of its services for homeless and low-income people.

Indego Africa (Houston) was recognized with a $15,000 prize for its efforts to provide Rwandan artisans with opportunities to sell their handicrafts around the world.

LiveFeed (St. Louis) received $30,000 for its collaborative efforts with entertainment businesses in St. Louis to reduce child hunger.

StudioSTL (St. Louis) was given $35,000 in honor of its work to connect students with mentors who are artists, educators, or writers.

The competition is designed to encourage innovative programs at social-entrepreneurship organizations.