Awards, Jan 24, 2008

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

Corporate giving. The White House and the Conference Board (New York) have presented the 2007 Ron Brown Awards for Corporate Leadership, which recognizes excellence in employee and community relations. Exelon Corporation (Chicago) was honored for promoting math and science education and encouraging students to stay in school. Northrop Grumman Corporation (Los Angeles) was recognized for teacher development in engineering, math, science, and technology and for providing mentors for needy students. Procter & Gamble (Cincinnati) received an award for providing safe drinking water for children in poor countries.

Health. The Harborview Medical Center (Seattle) has received the 2007 Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service. The $100,000 prize is sponsored by the American Hospital Association (Chicago), the Baxter International Foundation (Deerfield, Ill.), and the Cardinal Health Foundation (Dublin, Ohio).

International. Rio Tinto Alcan (Montreal) and the International Business Leaders Forum (London) have presented the 2007 Alcan Prize for Sustainability to the Utthan Centre for Sustainable Development and Poverty Alleviation (India) for its efforts to create economic opportunities for poor people in South Asia. The $1-million award is given annually to a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization in recognition of its contributions to “economic, environmental, or social sustainability.”

In addition, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (Chicago) has recognized Kofi Annan, former secretary general of the United Nations (New York), as the winner of its inaugural MacArthur Award for International Justice. The award provides Mr. Annan with $100,000 for his own work and enables him to select a nonprofit group that supports international justice as the recipient of an additional $500,000 grant from the foundation.

Social justice. The Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation (New York) has presented its annual award for social justice to the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (New York). The organization, which received $100,000, was honored for its efforts to provide policy advocacy, public education, and reproductive-health services for Latino families and communities.

Poverty. The Robin Hood Foundation (New York) has presented its annual Robin Hood Heroes Awards, which honor individuals and groups working to mitigate poverty in New York. Three nonprofit organizations and one business, and affiliated individuals, won awards that were accompanied by $50,000 grants:

— Harold Freeman and the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention, which has improved the survival rate among poor people with breast cancer in New York’s Harlem neighborhood.

— Marshall Green and the Legal Aid Society, which provides legal assistance to people who suffer financial hardship from custody battles, eviction, and medical bills.

— Rochelle James and Non-Traditional Employment for Women, a group that helps needy women learn skills and find jobs as carpenters, electricians, and construction workers.

— Adam Flatto, Joe Rose, and Marshall Rose and the Georgetown Company, which provided pro bono help to build two new high schools in New York.