Points of Light Tribute: Honoring Extraordinary Individuals Who Take Action to Improve the World
“Any definition of a successful life must include service to others.”
– President George H. W. Bush
From the White House more than 25 years ago, President George H. W. Bush gave voice and direction to a movement that’s steadily grown ever since — changing countless lives in communities across the country and around the world. No president in American history has advanced with greater clarity and consistency this belief: that voluntary action to help others is inseparable from human freedom and America’s pursuit of what is right and good.
Each year, Points of Light honors individuals who embody the vision of “a thousand points of light” that President Bush first invoked during his acceptance speech at the 1988 Republican National Convention. Their extraordinary contributions to volunteering and service have made their communities, and the world, a better place.
The 2017 Points of Light Tribute Awards will be held on Thursday, Oct. 19, at the Embassy of France in Washington, D.C. CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer will serve as master of ceremonies for the event, where 300 corporate, nonprofit, and community leaders will gather to recognize and celebrate the power of the individual to spark change and improve the world.
“Strength, resilience and kindness flow from simple acts of service,” said Natalye Paquin, CEO of Points of Light. “The individuals honored tonight are shining examples of what it means to be a point of light. They represent the great humanitarian spirit that binds us together.”
Wildlife advocates Jack and Suzi Hanna, co-hosts of the Emmy-award winning TV series “Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild,” and ambassador for the Columbus Zoo and The Wilds. Passion for animals, dedication to teaching, and a great sense of humor – that’s the recipe that made Jack and Suzi Hanna two of the most well-known, well-respected and well-loved conservationists ever to grace the national stage. Jack and Suzi have had the privilege to travel to Africa more than forty times and have visited each continent at least twice. They are proud to support a number of Rwandan wildlife and humanitarian organizations, including the Gorilla Doctors and Partners In Conservation. The Hannas’ unique and moving experiences led them to initiate the Columbus Zoo’s strong commitment to wildlife conservation efforts in 40 countries worldwide.
Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, founding chair of R20: Regions of Climate Action, and founder of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy. This world-famous athlete and actor was born in Austria, and became the youngest person ever to win the Mr. Universe title. Later, he would go on to earn a college degree from the University of Wisconsin and proudly became a U.S. citizen. As the 38th governor of California, Schwarzenegger ushered in an era of innovative leadership and extraordinary public service. But it is his commitment to giving something back to his state and to his country through public service that gives him the most satisfaction; donating his time, energy, and personal finances to serving others all over the world.
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Coty Sensabaugh and his wife Dominique Sensabaugh, founders of Sensabaugh Mission Moon. In lieu of wedding gifts, the Sensabaughs asked guests to donate shoes or money to Soles4Souls. Accompanied by friends and family, the newlyweds traveled to the Dominican Republic and distributed more than 500 pairs of shoes to impoverished adults and children. Through the Soles4Souls partnership, the Sensabaughs have helped collect more than 11,000 pairs of shoes. Coty has also partnered with Food for the Hungry to help provide fresh water systems to communities in Haiti. He also runs an annual free youth football camp, now in its fifth year, which has served more than 2,000 children in his home community of Kingsport, Tennessee. He is also a recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award and the Daily Point of Light Award.
A special Points of Light Lifetime Service Award will be presented to Ambassador C. Boyden Gray for his public service, volunteer leadership on the boards of numerous charitable, educational, and professional organizations, and his longtime support of the Points of Light vision and mission as established by President Bush. Ambassador Gray has held several diplomatic appointments, and served as White House counsel during the Bush Administration, 1989-1993. During his time in the White House, Ambassador Gray took a special interest in clean air issues; he became one of the principal architects of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments and was also involved in the creation of the Energy Policy Act of 1992.
“Points of Light continues to lift up one of the legacies that is most important to my dad, and one that continues to have enormous ripples and impact in communities around the world,” said Neil Bush, chairman of Points of Light’s board of directors and son of President George H. W. Bush. “These extraordinary individuals bring leadership, innovation, and energy to bear on some of the toughest challenges we face as a nation. It is our privilege to recognize them.”
The 2017 Tribute Award honorees are representative of the more than 62 million Americans who volunteer their time, talent and resources every year in service to others. The value and impact of volunteering is particularly relevant today, on the heels of numerous natural disasters, including three catastrophic hurricanes. In the coming weeks, months and years, the people of Houston, the Gulf Coast region, Florida, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico will continue to recover and rebuild from the devastation caused by these storms – and these efforts will be most effective and successful with the
” concert benefitting communities hit by recent natural disasters; they will receive their awards from Points of Light Chairman Neil Bush and be recognized on stage with the five living former U.S. presidents, including Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.
Do you know a volunteer who is lighting the way for good, creating meaningful change in their community, or taking action that improves the world?
Celebrating Volunteer Service at Home and Around the World at the 2014 Tribute Awards
Under the glow of crimson Chinese lanterns, a retired NBA star-turned philanthropist, a young environmentalist, a nonprofit addressing hunger and a company with a strong history of employee volunteerism received Points of Light Tribute Awards last night at the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C.
Tribute Award winner Charles Orgbon III and event emcee Greta Van Susteren share a lighthearted moment.
“We celebrate the expansion of the global service movement and recognize individuals, companies and organizations who empower others, strengthen families and lift communities,” said Points of Light Chair Neil Bush, who co-hosted the event with Ambassador H.E. Cui Tiankai of the People’s Republic of China.
Retired Lt. Gen. Brent Scowcroft, a key U.S. security adviser to a succession of presidents and winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Yue-Sai Kan, an Emmy-winning television host and producer whom People magazine called “the most famous woman in China,” were honorary co-chairs. (See photos of the event here.)
Yue-Sai, presenting Yao Ming’s Tribute Award, shared something the former NBA player told her: “Being good is commendable, but doing good is more important.”
That sentiment resonated throughout the evening, particularly as the Tribute awardees – recognized for their volunteer and philanthropic work – were named. This year’s honorees are:
Retired professional basketball player Yao Ming, formerly with the Houston Rockets. The Yao Ming Foundation seeks to improve the lives of children in China and the U.S., with an emphasis on providing educational opportunities. Fellow NBA basketball great Dikembe Mutombo accepted the award on Yao’s behalf.
Hewett-Packard – In 2013 alone, 40,000 HP employees in 82 countries logged more than 1.6 million volunteer hours and, with the help of matching donations from HP, gave more than $13.3 million to nonprofits and schools through cash and product donations. Gregg Melinson, senior vice president of corporate affairs at HP, accepted the award.
Environmentalist Charles Orgbon III, of Atlanta, who started a club at age 12 to keep his school clean, then turned it into Greening Forward, a nonprofit dedicated to creating a diverse global environmental movement powered by young people.
World Central Kitchen, a humanitarian organization founded by international chef José Andrés that feeds and empowers vulnerable people in humanitarian crises around the world. Executive Director Brian MacNair accepted the award.
Music prodigy Justin Yu, an 8-year-old cellist, performs for the guests.
Celebrating the awardees at the Chinese embassy was a tribute to the life and legacy of President George H. W. Bush, Points of Light’s founder, who cares deeply about the promotion of volunteer service and closer ties to China.
Points of Light’s global network includes more than 60 cities 30 countries, including affiliates in Beijing, Hong Kong, Chengdu and Shanghai. Together they mobilize tens of thousands of volunteers who contribute their time to help meet community needs.
As the evening wound down, the focus was on the future. Accepting his award, 18-year-old Orgbon appealed to the gathering for guidance.
“Consider young people as your allies, partners and stakeholders,” he said. “Help us find and project our voices.”
Kids Play While Moms and Dads Get Cancer Treatments
As a 34-year-old mom fighting breast cancer, Amy Paterson often found herself scrambling for childcare for her 2-year-old son before many of her 144 medical appointments.
It was another layer of stress, even with support from her husband, family and friends.
See how Amy Paterson is helping cancer patients. (Click image to watch video.)
“It would have been great if there had been child care at the hospital just like there is at the gym and Ikea and all these other places that parents go,” says Paterson, who was diagnosed in 2006.
So Paterson co-founded My Little Waiting Room, one of the first drop-in childcare centers in a hospital setting in the country. Operated by Volunteers of America Oregon, My Little Waiting Room is fully licensed and able to care for up to 15 children – ages 6 weeks to 10 years old – at a time. Care is provided on a suggested donation basis.
“My Little Waiting Room brings drop-in care to the hospital, so that children can thrive while families heal,” Paterson says.
In just a few years, My Little Waiting Room has had more than 15,000 child visits, providing relief to families who need care at Providence Portland Medical Center. Success has sparked similar concepts in the region and the attention of hospitals and service organizations across the U.S.
Children play in My Little Waiting Room.
Paterson describes how some of her most memorable experiences with My Little Waiting room involve the parents who use the service: “A father who came to us had tears in his eyes and he said, ‘This will change my life.’ And then there are the moms who are just in need of a little bit of help because they are juggling their own health and their kids.”
Paterson, who has regained her health, urges people to learn from their personal experiences to help others, as she has.
“Anyone can make a difference, and the important thing is to find what your strength is and then find a place to put it,” she says. “Be that point of light, because the world needs you.”
It Was a Thrill to Celebrate Action in the Nation’s Capital… Volunteer Action!
This post is by Tracy Hoover, Points of Light’s president.
The second annual Points of Light Awards – held at the Italian Embassy, with Greta Van Susteren and Italian actress Elisabetta Canalis as emcees – brought a bipartisan crowd together to honor extraordinary people and organizations that bring leadership, innovation and the passion of the volunteer spirit to bear on some of the toughest challenges we face today. (See photos from the evening here.)
Canalis and Van Susteren
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie – an honoree for his support of tens of thousands of volunteers who came to help in the wake of Superstorm Sandy – accepted his award by expressing gratitude to all volunteers. (Watch video.)
“Thank you all for what you do every day,” he said. “People around this entire country never know when we’re going to need you. But when we do, it’s an extraordinary relief to know that you’ll be there to help people in need.”
The evening’s Tribute Award winners included Amy Paterson, a young mom and cancer survivor who co-founded the nation’s first drop-in hospital child care center, in Portland, Ore. (watch video); AmpleHarvest.org, a nonprofit that connects people with excess food in their gardens to local food pantries that serve the hungry (watch video); and Citi, which mobilizes its corporate resources and human capital to strengthen communities, expand financial inclusion and advance environmental sustainability (watch video).
After another disappointing week in Washington, it was profoundly inspiring to be among patriots and changemakers who cross aisles, overcome obstacles and work hard every day to tackle tough community problems and lift up their neighbors. They are points of light – and we’re all better for their service. May they never have a shutdown!
P.S. To help volunteers change the world, check out the Points of Light online auction. You could win a 2014 Fiat 500L, four one-day Park Hopper Passes to Disney Parks and Resorts, designer accessories, a football signed by Joe Theismann, a private Skype session with American Idol finalist Pia Toscano, and much more!
Bid to Win a Fiat, Designer Accessories, a Skype Chat With a Star and More
Four one-day Park Hopper Passes to Disney Parks and Resorts
Michael Kors handbags, women’s watches and shoes
Football and photograph signed by NFL legend and MVP Joe Theismann
Private Skype session with acclaimed singer/songwriter Pia Toscano
Two $100 gift certificates at il Canale in Georgetown
Two $100 gift certificates at Assaggi Osteria in McLean, Va.
Dinner for four to Zaytinya with wine pairings
Limited edition biography signed by legendary race car driver Mario Andretti
Linkin Park VIP fan experience, which includes two tickets to a 2014 tour stop and a meet-and-greet with the band
A variety of PBS documentaries and original series on DVD
Place a bid today! You have until Oct. 31. Proceeds support Points of Light’s mission to mobilize millions of people to take on society’s greatest challenges.
Gov. Chris Christie and Fellow Honorees Shine at Points of Light Tribute Awards
Under the glass ceiling of the Italian Embassy, with strings of light shimmering overhead, about 300 people came together Friday night to celebrate the winners of the 2013 Points of Light Tribute Awards.
Guests at the Washington, D.C., gala included elected officials from the Democratic and Republican parties, athletes, entertainers, corporate and nonprofit leaders and media figures.
From left, Francesco Vanni d’Archirafi, Gov. Chris
Christie, Gary Oppenheimer and Amy Paterson
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, one of the four honorees, accepted his award by expressing gratitude to volunteers.
“Thank you all for what you do every day,” said Christie, who was recognized for his role as a tireless advocate for New Jersey citizens dealing with Hurricane Sandy’s devastation. “People around this entire country never know when we’re going to need you. But when we do, it’s an extraordinary relief to know that you’ll be there to help people in need.”
The other Tribute Award winners included a cancer survivor serving cancer patients with children, a nonprofit fighting hunger and a corporation helping communities:
Amy Paterson, as a young mom fighting breast cancer, found it tough to get sitters for her toddler son during her medical appointments. She’s making it easier for others with My Little Waiting Room, the nation’s first drop-in hospital child care center, in Portland, Ore.
AmpleHarvest.org connects 40 million Americans who have excess food in their gardens to local food pantries that serve the hungry in all 50 states. (The nonprofit’s founder Gary Oppenheimer accepted the award.)
Citi, the leading global bank recognized by The Civic 50 as one of the nation’s most community-minded corporations, mobilizes its business resources and human capital to expand financial inclusion, strengthen communities and advance environmental sustainability. (Francesco Vanni d’Archirafi, CEO of Citi Holdings, accepted the award.)
Canalis and Van Susteren
Greta Van Susteren of Fox News and Italian actress Elisabetta Canalis emceed the Oct. 11 event, hosted by the ambassador of Italy, Claudio Bisogniero and his wife, Laura Denise Bisogniero. Acclaimed singer Pia Toscano, best known for her impressive debut on “American Idol,” serenaded the guests with her signature hit, “I’ll Stand by You.”
A live auction raised money to help Points of Light fulfill its mission of helping volunteers serve their communities. (Through Oct. 31, you can participate in an online auction at www.biddingforgood.com/pointsoflight/tribute.)
Points of Light Tribute Awards are presented annually to shine a national spotlight on the best of those who represent what it means to be a “point of light.”
Neil Bush, Points of Light’s board chairman, praised the awardees for exemplifying what his father, President George H. W. Bush, sees as the nation’s strengths – people who serve others and a “respect for the goodness that makes this country great.”
Change Notes: President George H. W. Bush’s Points of Light Vision
Friends,
Throughout human history, underlying the sweeping reforms and essential institutional responses to disaster, to poverty, to environmental degradation, and to all forms of need has been the one reliable but often unheralded individual volunteer. The Red Cross worker, the soup kitchen cook, the foster grandparent, the patient tutor who turns a child’s life around.
In the past 20 years, we have seen a rekindling of the unique brand of American voluntary action. The spark for this modern-day service movement was President George H. W. Bush who noted in his 1989 inaugural address that, even in times of scarcity, we have one resource that always grows, “the goodness and courage of the American people.”
To honor his vision, Points of Light hosted “All Together Now: A Celebration of Service” one year ago – March 21, 2011 – at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. This star-studded event brought together four former presidents, leaders from across the service sector and those working to make change in communities around the globe. The more than 2,000 in the Kennedy Center audience and millions that watched in primetime on NBC were moved by the stories of inspiration and left with a renewed sense of purpose and energy for their own capacity to make a difference.
Since that event, Points of Light has leveraged the incredible support provided through the $30 million Service Generation Campaign to power innovation and help inspire, equip and mobilize our networks, including the next generation of volunteers, as well as strengthening our financial sustainability. This has included the expansion of our generationOn Clubs to engage young volunteers, innovation in our technology assets, launch of our Good & Ready emergency preparedness campaign and enhancements to our Corporate Institute to help companies tap into their employees’ power to create change.
At his inauguration, President Bush called for “a new engagement in the lives of others, a new activism, hands-on and involved… a thousand points of light.” Just 30 years prior, another newly inaugurated president stood on those same U.S. Capitol steps and beckoned us to see our citizenship as an invitation to serve, rather than a license to consume. Both John F. Kennedy and George H. W. Bush knew that the great executive, judicial and legislative triumvirate of our constitutional system would preserve and nourish our democracy but that it would be the enlightened and inspired citizen volunteer who would hold the key to its domestic and international promise.
Following his 1989 speech, President Bush established what has now become Points of Light, an organization whose mission is to inspire, equip and mobilize people to take action that changes the world. President Bush also signed the National and Community Service Act in 1990, building a new threshold of presidential leadership that has been continued by each successive administration.
From 1989 to 2010, the number of individuals volunteering annually grew by 25 million. Young people, in particular, have stepped forward in dramatic numbers to serve. Indeed, community engagement has become a natural pathway for young Americans who weave academic and athletic achievement with outreach to their communities and who are knocking at the doors of Teach For America and City Year in droves.
Since President Bush invoked a thousand points of light, we have seen a profound shift in power. We have witnessed what author John Cooper Ramos has called the “super-empowered” citizen, evidenced by the contagion of democratic impulses in regions thought impervious to political freedom, in the proliferation of civil society organizations and in political movements fueled by social media. According to Cooper Ramos, the future will be written by these super-empowered citizens: the pace of change continues to accelerate, the tools for self-organizing continue to strengthen, and the powers of individuals to make choices and act continue to grow.
More than 20 years ago, President Bush looked out from the Capitol steps and saw, across the country, individual points of light, lights that are inextricably tied to the beacon in New York harbor. For in that “imprisoned lightening,” as Emma Lazarus described it, is the yearning to be free from oppression and free from want, to be a part of a better world.
Now, we must re purpose our commitment to service and provide avenues for dialogue and action that ensure that our own democracy is inclusive, compassionate and vibrant. More than any other factor, our citizenry will determine our nation’s destiny.
At Points of Light we are invested in actively providing new ways for individuals to exercise all of their assets – time, talent, money and voice – in meeting the challenges of our time. Whether you join us online, through an existing project or you create your own; you’re a corporate partner, leveraging the time and talent of your employee; a social entrepreneur launching an exciting new venture; or a nonprofit actively engaging volunteers in delivering on your mission – we thank you for all that you do and hope you will continue to help us realize the power of President Bush’s vision.
Yours in service,
Michelle Nunn
CEO, Points of Light
Points of Light Tribute Event Anniversary
“This day is really a celebration of service, of the capacity of people to join hands and work together, and of President and Mrs. Bush who are really emblematic I think of all those characteristics.” –Michelle Nunn, CEO Points of Light.
Today marks the 1 year anniversary of the Tribute event. It was truly a night to remember for us at Points of Light. It was a celebration, bringing together celebrities, corporations, partners, friends, families, Daily Point of Light award winners, and volunteers to highlight how service has made a difference in solving our nations problems. It was an inspiring night for all participants to feel the personal effects of volunteering on the world and hear amazing stories of change. Watch the excerpt below from the event to see how volunteers changed Tonya Ingrams life:
One year later we are still reinvigorated to work harder to create change. Ultimately, the Tribute’s success is in generating sustained energy and optimism in each and every one of us, to remain stalwart in our commitment to take concrete action, to support not only Points of Light, but those in our own communities who are taking action to create change. We hope you can feel that again on the anniversary and continue to take action.
Please join us in celebrating Points of Light, the people who take action in your communities on our innovative online wall. Those who post can immediately begin helping their communities by signing up for local volunteer opportunities. To post a Tribute and view the Tribute wall click here.
Click here to donate in support of the volunteer movement and towards creating continuous innovative civic solutions. You can also donate your time, voice, or facebook status, among other things if you want to get involved in other ways.
Plans for the Largest Day of Charitable Activity in the Nation’s History Unveiled for 9/11
Yesterday Republican and Democratic U.S. Congressional leaders came together in a show of bipartisan support for a nationwide effort to inspire millions of Americans to voluntarily engage in charity, service and good deeds in observance of the upcoming 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance and the 10-year Anniversary of the attacks.
They joined 9/11 family members, survivors, rescue and recovery workers, and volunteers to help stitch The National 9/11 Flag that was damaged in the aftermath of the collapse of the World Trade Center nearly a decade ago.
The National 9/11 Flag made its first appearance in Washington, DC as it is currently on a journey across America through the 10-year Anniversary of 9/11 led by The New York Says Thank You Foundation. The goal of The National 9/11 Flag Tour is to display this historic flag at leading venues nationwide, to empower local service heroes in all 50 states with the privilege of stitching the flag back to its original 13-stripe format, and to inspire 300 million Americans with the flag’s rich visual history in order to deepen our sense of citizenship and national pride and bolster the spirit of volunteerism on the 9/11 Anniversary and year-round. Once fully restored, The National 9/11 Flag will become part of the permanent collection of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.
“Our hope is that The National 9/11 Flag will forever tell the story of the sense of unity and volunteer spirit that brought our Nation together on 9/12.” said Jeff Parness, founder of New York Says Thank You Foundation.
MyGoodDeed and HandsOn Network, the volunteer activation division of Points of Light Institute, are the lead organizers of the 9/11 Day Observance. Organizers expect this year’s 9/11 Day Observance to be the single-largest day of good deeds, charitable activity and service in United States history, with at least one million Americans paying tribute through good deeds and charitable service to the 9/11 victims and survivors, and those who rose in service following the attacks, including military and public safety personnel.
“The 10-year Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks is a national touchstone that unites us all. It is a time for people to come together and use their power to create change in their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Lights of Institute. “HandsOn Network will directly mobilize 50,000 people to use their time, talent, voices and resources to create a positive, lasting legacy of service that addresses the challenges we all face.”
Join our Tribute movement today. Click here to post ways you will tribute or honor 9/11 on the website!
Throughout the past two months we have been highlighting volunteer work showcased at the Tribute event and during National Volunteer Week. These special days are important to recognize volunteer service, although it is also important to recognize volunteers all year round. Thus we have created and launched a free mobile application that allows anyone to recognize volunteerism whenever they feel inspired from the palm of their hand.
The new iRecognize Volunteers app for iPhone/iPad/iTouch products provides a unique way to celebrate those who are using their time, talent, voice and money to create change. The free app allows users to share inspiring stories, photos and YouTube videos that showcase how individuals have made a difference.
On the application you can easily write a tribute or pledge service on behalf of family members, co-workers, neighbors or friends to highlight their contribution to the volunteer service movement. Your tribute will be posted to our existing Tribute Wall on our website where you will become a part of the virtual community of change-makers who are committed to demonstrating the power of voluntary action.
Next week, May 14th-21st is Americorps Week, a week that brings people together to reflect on civic values, recognizes individual Americorps service, and promotes the impact that Americorps have on communities they serve. By downloading the app you can join us to tribute past and present Americorps members, or pledge service as a future member on our mobile application.
Click here to download iRecognize Volunteers today.
To honor his vision, 
Following his 1989 speech, President Bush established what has now become Points of Light, an organization whose mission is to inspire, equip and mobilize people to take action that changes the world. President Bush also signed the National and Community Service Act in 1990, building a new threshold of presidential leadership that has been continued by each successive administration.
Yesterday Republican and Democratic U.S. Congressional leaders came together in a show of bipartisan support for a nationwide effort to inspire millions of Americans to voluntarily engage in charity, service and good deeds in observance of the upcoming 
The National 9/11 Flag made its first appearance in Washington, DC as it is currently on a journey across America through the 10-year Anniversary of 9/11 led by 
Throughout the past two months we have been highlighting volunteer work showcased at the