Founder of Group to Prevent Infant Deaths Among Winners of ‘Points of Light’ Awards

Following are the people and organizations that have most recently been named to receive President Bush’s Daily Points of Light Award.

The Points of Light Foundation, a Washington charity, assists the president in making the choices and carrying out the award program. More information about the award winners and the program is available at the foundation’s Web site, http://pointsoflight.org, or by contacting the foundation at 1400 I Street, N.W., Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20005; (202) 729-8184.

The recipients:

1974. Sarah Bell, Atlanta, a retired nurse’s assistant who provides care for children waiting for adoption, and helps parents separated from their children gain stable employment and reunite with their families. Ms. Bell also provides care for children through the Foster Grandparent Program at a Gate City Day Nursery Association site.

1975. Pamela Belisle, Old Orchard Beach, Me., who began the Don’t Shake Jake program in 1998 to raise awareness of the risks of shaking infants.

1976. USinternetworking Corporation, Annapolis, Md., which distributed 60 computers to youths living in public housing, and started two computer centers to serve people there. The corporation’s employees also serve as mentors and tutors for the youths.

1977. Puerto Rico Youth at Risk, Guaynabo, a mentor program started in 1996 to prevent substance abuse, violence, and delinquency among at-risk youths.

1978. David and Connie Amtower, Portage, Mich., who provide home-care services for elderly people through the Growing In Home Volunteer Effort program.

1979. Barbara Pittman, Philadelphia, a formerly battered woman who works as an advocate for abused women and their children. Ms. Pittman has served on the Formerly Battered Women’s Task Force of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and on the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Task Force for Mandated Counseling for Batterers.

1980. Gabriel Chavez, Las Cruces, N.M., who helped form and expand the El Caldito Soup Kitchen, and who serves on the Gleaning Committee, which collects food from local grocery stores, restaurants, and farmers for the soup kitchen and for 10 other groups that serve homeless people.

1981. Howard and Nancy Terry, Houston, who established the Terry Foundation in 1986 to provide scholarships to enable financially needy children in Texas to attend public colleges and universities. The foundation also helps students develop good study habits through a fall orientation program.

1982. Red Rope of Embry Riddle Aeronautical U., Daytona Beach, Fla., a group established in 1997 to provide disaster-relief and awareness services to local residents.

1983. DeQueen-Mena Educational Cooperative Foster Grandparent Program, Gillham, Ark., which enlists retired elderly people as mathematics and reading tutors for children in kindergarten through elementary school.

1984. Community Drop-In Center, Lawrence, Kan., an organization established in 1995 to provide services such as drug rehabilitation, HIV/AIDS prevention, and job placement for the increasing number of homeless people in the town.

1985. Hector Casado, Ocala, Fla., who since 1997 has served as a court-appointed advocate for abused and neglected children through the Guardian Ad Litem program. In addition, Mr. Casado is organizing child-rearing and anger-management classes for local Hispanics.

1986. George Hallett, Fresno, Calif., who has assisted frail and homebound elderly people through the Senior Companions program since 1984.