Awards presented at the 2018 Service Unites conference honor and recognize individuals and companies for outstanding volunteer work
Press Release
ATLANTA , June 20, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Service Unites 2018, powered by Points of Light, convened nearly 2,000 nonprofit, government, business and civic leaders from 38 countries to gain and share the knowledge, resources and connections needed to galvanize the power of people to create change globally. During the three-day Atlanta event, Points of Light recognized four inspiring changemakers by presenting them with Daily Point of Light Awards, a prestigious honor started by President George H.W. Bush during his presidency.
As Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico face the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, Points of Light is honoring everyday citizens who stepped up to serve their communities during the immediate response and to embark on the long road to recovery.
Finding a common thread between generations can sometimes be difficult these days. So, when one of Dr. Keith Whitworth’s students brought Cycling Without Age to his attention, he immediately jumped at the opportunity to bring the program to Texas Christian University.
Sophie Bernstein always wanted to grow her own garden. At 12 years old, she was looking for a meaningful project to complete for her bat mitzvah – something that would serve a larger purpose and help the community. Sophie realized she had the perfect opportunity to start her garden, while also benefitting others by donating the crops that her garden produced to the local food bank. She had no idea where that project would take her.
For some kids and teens, developing a love of reading can be difficult. After their family experienced this firsthand, siblings Alana, Jacob and Reuben Blumenstein founded KidsRead2Kids.com to help promote both the love of reading, as well as access to reading for youth and adults alike.
In honor of Family Volunteer Day on Nov. 18, Points of Light and Disney are recognizing families with the Daily Point of Light Award.
As a mom with two teenage daughters, Susan Birthright says finding dedicated time to spend together can be a challenge. That’s why she looks forward to her regular weekend volunteering projects with her daughters, Caitlin, age 14, and Morgan, age 16.
“I like volunteering with my daughters because it allows us to give back,” says Susan. “When we volunteer together, we know that time is family time.”
Col. Nathan Thomas Jr. is a retired veteran who served more than 39 years in the Army and Air Force, but for this Alabama native, currently living in Melbourne, Florida, supporting his community has been a natural extension of his life’s work. As a teenager, Nathan marched alongside civil rights heroes in Birmingham and Selma, Alabama, and was beaten along with hundreds of other marchers in the horrific 1965 “Bloody Sunday” police attack in Selma. Nathan is inspired every day by Dr.
For military veterans who have proudly served, there can be physical and emotional injuries that make it difficult to transition back to civilian life – some estimates say as many as 20 percent of returning vets suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Barbara Blair has touched the lives of many struggling vets in need of companionship through her efforts as the Georgia chapter director of Pets for Vets, where she leads state-wide programs for the national organization dedicated to veterans and rescued shelter pets.
As Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico face the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, Points of Light is honoring everyday citizens who stepped up to serve their communities during the immediate response and to embark on the long road to recovery.
