Washington, D.C. (June 4, 2018) - Multiplying Good, the nation’s leading nonprofit focused on fueling personal growth and leadership through public service, announced Von Miller, Denver Broncos’ linebacker/founder Von’s Vision, and Patagonia, designer of outdoor clothing and gear/environmental advocate, will be recognized with national public service awards during the 2019 D.C. Jefferson Awards. The Jefferson Awards, now in its 47th year, were co-created by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Senator Robert Taft, Jr., and Sam Beard. This year’s event will be held on Tuesday, June 18, 2019, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. and is the nation’s largest convening of individuals committed to public service. Miller and Patagonia will be joined by 150 grassroots and youth Jefferson award recipients from across the country.
Following a rebrand in February, which put a greater emphasis on the organization’s overall mission and programming to inspire people of all ages to get involved in service, Multiplying Good continues to pay tribute to its roots by recognizing remarkable service with its twice-annual ceremonies in Washington, D.C. and New York.
“By providing a prestigious platform that recognizes outstanding, selfless acts of service, we motivate our award recipients to do more and we inspire others to take action in service to others, creating a ripple of good,” said Hillary Schafer, Multiplying Good CEO. “The youth, grassroots, corporations, and notable national award recipients who join us at the D.C. Jefferson Awards represent the very best of our country, people who have dedicated themselves to serving others. By bringing them together and elevating their work, we inspire communities nationwide.”
This year, Multiplying Good will honor the following national figures for their public service efforts and initiatives:
- Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller will be honored with the award for Outstanding Public Service in Professional Sports. Miller’s commitment to Denver youth through Von’s Vision provides low-income children with the eye care and corrective eyewear they need to be their best in the classroom and in life. His organization works with partners to donate their time, optometric and ophthalmological services, and frames and prescriptions to benefit thousands of children annually.
- On behalf of Patagonia, the company’s environmental advocate Avi Garbow will accept the award for Outstanding Public Service by a Corporation. As an American outdoor apparel company, Patagonia has long been on the leading edge of sustainability in the industry. The organization has donated more than $100 million to nonprofit environmental groups and conservation efforts since its founding in 1973. Through its corporate venture capital fund, Tin Shed Ventures, Patagonia also invests in start-ups that offer solutions to the environmental crisis. These include solar projects, innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save water and regenerate soil health, and circular economy models. When possible, Patagonia will partner with the businesses in which it invests, such as Yerdle, which helped Patagonia launch its Worn Wear business, which promises the company will produce and sell quality goods, repair them when needed, recycle them free of charge, and even buy back functional gear in an effort to prolong product use and reduce the company’s carbon, waste, and water footprint.
As Jefferson Award winners, Miller and Patagonia will join an impressive and diverse group of alumni that includes Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Bill & Melinda Gates, Peyton Manning, and Paul Newman.
During the ceremony, Multiplying Good will also present awards to leading high school teams and employees at major corporations who engage their communities in service through the organization’s Students In Action and Champions programs.
Five grassroots unsung heroes will be recognized and receive the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting the Local Community, as identified by Multiplying Good’s Media Partners in communities across the country.
This year’s event is made possible by the generous support of: Clearsight Advisors, The Community Foundation of New Jersey, Joyce Cowin, Deloitte, Denver Broncos, Grafik, National Football League, Subaru of Indiana Automotive, United Steelworkers, and Vodafone’s America Foundation.
To purchase tickets for the National Ceremony or to learn more about the Jefferson Awards Foundation and this year’s honorees, please visit: bit.ly/MULTIPLYGOODINDC.
About Multiplying Good
Multiplying Good is a national nonprofit that channels the power of public service to unleash potential in individuals. For nearly 50 years, they have honored those who build better communities, trained young leaders, and activated individuals and organizations to multiply the impact they can deliver. Through a continuum that starts with engagement and culminates in recognition, they fuel personal growth and multiply the power of service to others. Through recognition, they inspire individuals and those who hear their stories to deliver greater positive change. You can learn more about the organization by visiting MultiplyingGood.org or engaging with their online communities via Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
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