Awards, Oct 30, 2003

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

Advocacy. OMB Watch (Washing-ton) has honored 15 individuals for their work promoting citizen participation, government accountability, and social justice:

— Christine Ahn, coordinator of the economic and social human-rights program at Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy (Oakland, Calif.), who writes and speaks on such topics as human rights, North Korea, philanthropy, poverty, and trade.

— William F. Chamberlin, director of the Marion Brechner Citizen Access Project at the U. of Florida, College of Journalism and Communications (Gaines-ville), which surveys and ranks open meetings and public-records laws in the 50 states.

— Rick Cohen, executive director of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (Washington), who has pressed grant makers to be more accountable to the public, and to finance more social-justice programs.

— Chuck Collins, co-founder and program director at United for a Fair Economy (Boston), who promotes policies to reduce inequality in income and wealth and works to preserve the estate tax.

— Judith M. Conti, co-founder and director of legal services and administration at the DC Employment Justice Center, who has led legal, community-organizing, and public-education efforts to defend workers’ rights.

— Anne L. Henry, staff attorney at the Minnesota Disability Law Center (Minneapolis), who advocates improved social services and health coverage for people with disabilities.

— Thomas O. McGarity, president of the Center for Progressive Regulation (Baltimore) and a professor at the U. of Texas School of Law (Austin), whose work focuses on bioengineering, drug safety, environmental policy, and worker health and safety.

— Raul Meyreles, executive director of La Cooperativa Campesina de California (Sacramento), who has advocated financing for job training and other services for migrant and seasonal farmworkers in California.

— Terry Pastika, executive director and community lawyer at Citizen Advocacy Center (Chicago), who has organized Chicago residents to become more involved in civic affairs.

— Kikanza Ramsey-Ray, senior community organizer and volunteer coordinator at the Labor/Community Strategy Cen-ter (Los Angeles), who has helped organize efforts to promote public transportation and to clean up Los Angeles oil refineries.

— Margaret M. Seminario, director of health and safety at the AFL-CIO (Washington), who advocates protective measures that benefit workers, including safer work environments and right-to-know policies.

— Susan Shaer, executive director of Women’s Action for New Directions (Arlington, Mass.), which advocates arms control and disarmament.

— Robert Silverstein, director of the Center for the Study and Advancement of Disability Policy (Washington), who has worked for the passage of several federal disability laws, including the Americans With Disabilities Act.

— Sister Helen Vinton, assistant executive director and life-quality director at Southern Mutual Help Association (New Iberia, La.), who promotes environmental protection and sustainable development in rural areas.

— David C. Vladeck, an associate professor of law and co-director of the Institute for Public Representation at the Georgetown U. Law Center (Washington), whose litigation has helped tighten standards for on-the-job safety.

Health philanthropy. The American Journal of Nursing has presented its inaugural Beatrice Renfield Caring for the Caregiver Award to honor a philanthropist who supports nurses and excellence in nursing care. The recipient, Priscilla Payne Hurd, has made several signifi-cant donations to promote the School of Nursing at St. Luke’s Hospital and Health Network (Bethlehem, Pa.), where she serves as a trustee. She also insisted that nurses be consulted during the planning of renovations to the hospital.

Hunger. The World Food Prize Foundation (Des Moines) has presented its 2003 World Food Prize to Catherine Bertini, under secretary general for management at the United Nations (New York). The award, which carries a $250,-000 prize, recognizes achievements in increasing the quality, quantity, and availability of food globally. During her tenure as executive director, from 1992 to 2002, Ms. Bertini helped the World Food Programme deliver food to hungry people during such humanitarian crises as Hurricane Mitch in Latin America, drought in the Horn of Africa, and malnutrition among refugees in Kosovo.

Jewish federations. United Jewish Communities (New York) has named the recipients of its Sapir Awards for Campaign Excellence, which recognize outstanding fund-raising campaigns conducted in 2002. The winners:

— Jewish Community Federation of Louisville (Ky.).

— Jewish Federation of Arkansas (Little Rock).

— Jewish Federation of Cincinnati.

— Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas.

— Jewish Federation of Greater Washington (Rockville, Md.).

— Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties (Fort Myers, Fla.).

— Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County (Boca Raton, Fla.).

— Knoxville Jewish Alliance (Tenn.).

— Santa Barbara Jewish Federation (Calif.).

— United Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York (Latham).

Youths. Former President George Bush, America’s Promise (Alexandria, Va.), and Bank of America (Charlotte, N.C.) have presented the George Bush Promise of America Awards to honor organizations’ commitment to improving the lives of youths. The recipients, in six categories:

— Business: Ford Motor Company Fund (Dearborn, Mich.), which developed a series of Web sites that provide information about events and services for youths.

— Civic or service organization: ManaTeen Club (Bradenton, Fla.), a youth-led volunteer program with more than 11,000 participants.

— Community: Kansas City’s Promise (Mo.), a collaboration that has recruited more than 50,000 volunteers in Kansas and Missouri to provide religious programs, mentoring for pregnant teenagers and young mothers, and other services.

— Faith-based institution: Macedonia Community Baptist Church (Woodford, Va.), which sponsors an after-school program that includes tutoring, homework assistance, and dinner.

— School, college, or university: Pennsylvania State U. (University Park), which uses a Web site to encourage its students to volunteer to help children and youths.

— State: Idaho, for its Idaho’s Promise program (Boise), through which youths serve on local councils to coordinate community-service opportunities.

The Hitachi Foundation (Washington) has presented its 2003 Yoshiyama Awards for Exemplary Service to the Community, which honor high-school seniors for encouraging others to participate in civic affairs. The winners, who each received a $5,000 grant:

— Ian Amber, Miami Palmetto High School (Pinecrest, Fla.), who founded a nonprofit organization that provides support services to young patients with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, and has recruited people to donate blood and bone marrow.

— Aubyn Burnside, Maple Hill Homeschool (Murrells Inlet, S.C.), who started a program that distributes donated suitcases to foster children and has helped people in other states and countries begin similar programs.

— Christine Egan, Boone County High School (Florence, Ky.), who led a campaign to create sports facilities for girls that were equal to those available to boys.

— Merceditas Lazaro, Santa Maria High School (Calif.), who helps Hispanic fieldworkers and their children improve their English-language skills and learn about Mexican history.

— Jessica Marrero, Buchholz High School (Gainesville, Fla.), founder of Partners in Adolescent Lifestyle Support, an outreach program designed to help children and youths with mental illness feel more comfortable at school.

— Ryan Nevitt, Iota High School (Crowley, La.), who helped collect cell phones and other items to redistribute to battered women and their children.

— Rovion Reed, Danville High School (Ill.), who organizes young black men to volunteer in their communities and participate in conferences about such topics as leadership, race relations, and sexual health.

— Jamaul Thomas, Oakland High School (Calif.), who successfully lobbied the regional transportation authority for free bus passes for low-income students.

— Eve Vang, Arlington High School (St. Paul), who founded a student-led activist group to improve her school, which had been placed on academic probation.

— Garen Wolff, Detroit County Day School, who organized a mentoring and tutoring program for black middle-school students.