The Jefferson Awards Foundation was created in 1972 by the American Institute for Public Service. The Jefferson Awards are given at both local and national levels. Local winners are ordinary people who do extraordinary things without expectation of recognition. Local winners come from national networks of "Media Partners" and "Corporate Champions", from the associated "Students In Action", Lead360, and the GlobeChangers programs. The Jefferson Awards Foundation is led by its CEO, Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, its president, Sam Beard, and its chairman, Jack Russi, in conjunction with the Foundation's board of governors.
National awards The awards are presented each year during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., where a broad array of honorees are recognized. Also recognized are organizations – companies that represent the pinnacle in corporate citizenship and academic institutions that best reflect the Jeffersonian ideals of citizen involvement.
History In 1972, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, U.S. Senator Robert Taft Jr., and Samuel Beard founded the Jefferson Awards for Public Service to establish a prize for public and community service. The Jefferson Awards are led by the Board of Selectors who choose the national winners and oversee the activities of the organization. Co-founder, Sam Beard, is currently the President & CEO.
Jefferson Awards Foundation The Jefferson Awards Foundation is a non-profit organization that "recognizes, inspires and activates volunteerism and public service in communities, workplaces and schools across America."
List of all past national winners
YearU.S. Senator John Heinz Award for Outstanding Public Service By An Elected or Appointed OfficialS. Roger Horchow Award for Outstanding Public Service by A Private CitizenOutstanding Public Service Benefiting the DisadvantagedSamuel S. Beard Award for Outstanding Public Service by An Individual 35 Years or UnderJacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting Local CommunitiesOutstanding Public Service in Professional SportsLifetime Achievement in Public ServiceOutstanding National or Global Service by a Young American 25 Years or UnderOutstanding Public Service by a Corporation 1973 Henry Kissinger John W. Gardner Cesar Chavez Joseph A. Yablonski 1974 Elliot Richardson Ralph Nader Thomas Szasz Maynard JacksonRobert T. Bates, James Ellis, James Masten, Ellen S. Straus, Peter Wilson 1975 Peter W. Rodino Jr. Katharine Graham Rev. Leon Sullivan Emmett Tyrrell 1976 Arthur F. Burns, Alan Greenspan, William E. Simon John D. Rockefeller, III Rev. Theodore Hesburgh Vilma S. MartinezFelix Rohatyn 1977 Michael Mansfield Art Buchwald Howard Rusk Max ClelandFather Alfred Boeddeker, Jean Chaudhuri, Dr. Leonard Cobb, Olga Mele, Marjory Taylor1978 Hubert H. Humphrey Paul Mellon Jerry Lewis Bernard PowellJ.O. Asbjornson, Thomas Cannon, Sr., Mary Kathleen Clark, Robert G. Levy, Elizabeth Maier 1979 Kenneth Gibson, William Donald Schaefer, Coleman A. Young Howard Jarvis Jesse Jackson Denis HayesCornelius D. Banks, Dr. Ann Hines, Joyce Hunter, Father Bruce Ritter, Clarence H. Snyder 1980 Cyrus R. Vance Norman Borlaug Allard Lowenstein US Olympic Hockey TeamJohn Carpenter, Tilda Kemplen, Lee Klein, Elaine Greibenow, Dr. Louis Mattucci 1981 Warren Christopher Walter Cronkite Marva Collins David StockmanHank Adams, Irene Auberlin, David Crockett, Homer Fahrner, Noey Somchay 1982 Howard H. Baker Bob Hope Claude Pepper Henry CisnerosDallas Doyle, Richard Marvin Garrett, Helena Kyle, Caroline Putnam, Ruth Heinz, Lorraine Schreck 1983 Paul A. Volcker Kirk Douglas Helen Hayes Jan ScruggsDean Crisp, Darlene Handley, Dr. Robert Kustra, Candy Lightner, Tony Messineo 1984 William H. Webster J. Peter Grace Maude E. Callen Sally RideVirginia Clemmer, Frances & Campbell Cutler, Margaret Marshall, Betty Taylor, Donna Velvick 1985 James A. Baker, III Lee Iacocca Betty Ford Trevor Ferrell Mary Beth ToberVirginia Clemmer, Frances & Campbell Cutler, Margaret Marshall, Betty Taylor, Donna Velvick 1986 George P. Shultz H. Ross Perot Eugene Lang Robert HayesRuby Ferrell Callaway, Therese Dozier, Fannie Royston, Philip Viall, Sonya & Tanya Witt 1987 Justice William J. Brennan Irving Brown Ginetta Sagan Steven JobsJoan W. Bailey, Elizabeth Brown, Fred Doescher, Howard Jones, Jim Knocke 1988 C. Everett Koop James W. Rouse Fr. Bruce Ritter Marlee MatlinJoanna & Jim Chappell, Peter Frazza, Lola Martin, J.T. Pace, Amy Marie Windom 1989 Paul Nitze Leo Cherne Kimi Gray Marc BuonicontiDavid Cain, Clara Johansen, Stephen P. Klinker, DDS, Julia Middleton, Brent Wyatt 1990 General Colin Powell Jimmy Carter Jaime Escalante Anne DonahueWayne Barton, John Bell, Queen Hyler, Dr. Viola Taylor, Jane Van Sant 1991 Dick Cheney Robert C. Macauley Marian Wright Edelman Wendy KoppClaire & Romeo Bennett, P.O. Walter Bennet, Ann Chapman, Mistilee Grace, Deborah Walrod 1992 Justice Thurgood Marshall Faye Wattleton Eunice Shriver Michael Brown and Alan KhazeiMary Ellen Eagle, Albert Eckstein, MD, Hon. Edward Rodgers, Carol Kane, Rachel Rossow 1993 Carla Hills James Burke Arthur Ashe Mary TaylorElla M. Jones, Leatrice 'Chick' Big Crow, Rev. Herschel C. Smith, Christi Todd, Dr. James Withers 1994 George Mitchell, Bob Michel Jim and Sarah Brady Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward Wayne MeiselVictor Acquino, Dorita Epps, Daniel Greene, Marjory Ray, Rev. Julius L. Scipio 1995 Justice Harry Blackmun Walter H. Annenberg Barbara Bush Stacey BessMattie Hill Brown, Billy Earley, Maggie Lopez, Pamela Roland 1996 Sam Nunn Brian Lamb Rosalynn Carter Andrea JaegerCahn Ba Dang, Jesse Hipps, Dr. Vincent Jenco, Clara Kirk 1997 Robert Dole Nancy Brinker Oseola McCarty Michael DanzigerSgt. Roger Redd, Dawn Degenhardt, Momma Hawk, Chris Morris, Margaret Moul, Pat Zimmerman 1998 Robert Rubin Oprah Winfrey Thaddeus S. Lott Sr. Bobby JindalJames "Major" Adams, Rose Crumb, Crystal Davis, Pam Marota, Carlos Spaht, II 1999 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Elizabeth Dole Millard Fuller Anthony ShriverThelma Barnett, Jean-Dominique Catchings, Patrick Dickinson, Dr. William Magee, Jr., Victor Trevino 2000 John Glenn Elayne Bennett Benjamin Carson, M.D. Faith HillRichard Cyr, Mat Dawson, Jr., Donald Fisher, Ardelia Ingram, Allan Law 2001 Madeleine Albright Ted Benna Dorothy Height Lance ArmstrongDr. Allen O. Battle, Gertrude M. Cole, Jose Luis Flores, Kompha Seth, Samuel Williams 2002 Rudolph Giuliani Lilly Tartikoff Bill and Melinda Gates Chad PregrackeMaise DeVore, Linda Gregory, Tomas Gutierrez, Angela Knight, Rev. John F. Norwood Ray Chambers 2003 Condoleezza Rice Anne Douglas Mathilde Krim Matt MeyerRodney S. Alford, William D. Grace, Bridget McDaniel, Rev. Wendell Mettey, Dr. and Mrs. Sherwin Winn 2004 Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Ken Burns Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth Kristen Lodal and Brian KreiterJudith Bluestone, Kim Meeder, Rev. Alice Parker, Bobby J. Trimble, Dr. Erwin M. Vasquez 2005 Lee H. Hamilton, Thomas Kean Vartan Gregorian Dave Pelzer Benjamin ShuldinerRosie Leetta Abram, Ofrs. Billy Bolin & Paul Kirby, Marcelle Fortier Citron, Coke Hallowell, Corwin B. Marbly, Sr. 2006 John Lewis Michael Feinberg and David Levin I. King Jordan Peyton ManningVincenza Carrieri-Russo, Gail Conner, Holly Dunn-Pendleton, Stanley Ratliff 2007 Richard Daley Jeffrey Sachs Geoffrey Canada Lindsay HydeAndrea Blamble, Nancy Costello, Heidi Kuhn, Kathryn Martin, Stevie Moore 2008 Joe Lieberman Edward Jagen Darell Hammond Ocean RobbinsJackie Betz, Erin Drischler & Megan Neuf, Nancy Collins, Debbie & Hank Perret, Lia Rowley, Harry Vogler 2009 Edward Kennedy Greg Mortenson, Pamela Hawley William (Bill) E. Milliken Jennifer StapleDick Bere, Karen Broughton, Kevin Brown, Diane Dobitz, Catalino Tapia 2010 Michael R. Bloomberg, Cory A. Booker Paul Farmer, M.D. Jim Gibbons Tad Skylar AgogliaRobert S. Edwards, Dr. Mark Kline, Gary Maxworthy, Jackie Millar, Heather Wilder Nnamdi Asomugha, Tyrus Thomas, Curtis Granderson, Stuart Holden, Dwight Howard, Dirk Nowitzki, Justin Tuck, Lauryn Williams, Venus Williams, Ryan Zimmerman Marlo Thomas, Ellie Duke, Katherine Foronda, Ted Gonder, Dallas Jessup, Emma Lindle, Tristan Love, Kristen Lowman, Jessie Mintz, Zoe Ridolfi-Starr, Joe Tigani, Kelly Voigt 2011 Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Bill Shore Jerry M. Reinsdorf Brittany and Robbie BergquistPat Aseltyne, Jenny & Andy Czerkas, Megan Johnson, Rachel Muha Drew Brees, Tamika Catchings, Stephen Curry, Warrick Dunn, Brad Davis, Ernie Els, Ryan Hall, Paul Pierce, CC Sabathia, Brian WestbrookCraig Hatkoff, Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro Sicomac Elementary School - Student Council, Sashin Choksh, Morgan Hartley, Greg Nance, Nick Hebert, Patrick Ip, Talia Leman, Sarah Nuss, Mordecai Scott, Jessica Singer, Tyrone Stevenson, Vanessa Strickland Prudential Financial, Starkey Laboratories, Inc. 2012 David H. Petraeus Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis Richard Proudfit Amber Lynn CoffmanJack Cassidy & Anthony Smith, Oscar Medina, IV, Ed Rose, Midge Wilson, John YoungJeremy Affeldt, Dereck Faulkner, Julie Foudy, Jeff Karstens, Jim Kelly, Charlie Kimball, Pat LaFontaine, Hannibal Navies, Jeff Saturday, Troy Vincent, Marty Lyons The Robin Hood FoundationRachel & Kelsi Okun, Charles OrgBon III, Jourdan Urbach Pfizer 2013 Tom Coburn, Patrick Leahy Elie Wiesel Dolores Huerta Neilesh PatelDr. Joseph Bailey, Oral Lee Brown, Jeffery Ryan Futrell, Ed & Sue Goldstein, Robert Nevins Mark EinSejal Hathi, Sam King, Alexis Werner General Electric 2014 Gabby Giffords Andrew Shue Pedro Jose Greer Jack Andraka, Ryan PatrickJeremiah Anthony, Shawn & Amanda Bakker, Eric Fuchs-Stengel, Michelle Lacourciere, Stephen Tybor Mariano Rivera, James Thrash Tom Brokaw Maria Keller, Lillian Pravda Weyerhaeuser 2015 Sonia Sotomayor Ivan Hageman Adam Braun Lauren BushMargo Ahrendsen, Mara Botonis, Brooke & Keith Desserich, Manuel Santos, Marie Wolbach Fred Jackson, Robby Novak & Brad Montague of Kid President Corinne Hindes & Katrine Kirsebom of Warm Winters Target Corporation 2016 Arne Duncan Sean Parker Kyle Zimmer The Young American SoldierDr. Ted Goodfriend, Sadiya Omar, Skyler James, Rafael Sarango, Jeff Wilbarger Eric Decker Billie Jean King Sophia Sánchez-Maes Salesforce 2017 Deval Patrick Peter Diamandis, Sheila Johnson Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, Opal TometiDorothea Bongiovi, Dr. Patricia Derges, Suzy DeYoung, Fred & Cora Reed, Emily Torchiana Joe Torre Harry Belafonte Laurie Hernandez Warby Parker 2018 Elaine Wynn Bryan Stevenson Alexis JonesFrank Austin, Nancy Eigel-Miller, Ingrid Johnson, Jeff Klare, Richard Perez Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Long Pia Phillips and Abbie NelsonMastercard 2019 Scooter Braun Mariska HargitayTim Arnold, Wayne Bisek, Renee Fahey, Dr. Kit Ford, Christan Rainey Von Miller, Shaquille O'NealMorgan Guess Patagonia 2020 Kristen Bell Patrick LawlerNancy Abraham, Major Etta R. Gray, Lisa & Mike Irvin, LaDay Johnson, Doug McNeil Larry Fitzgerald, Dawn Staley Owen Colley TOMS2021Dr. Anthony FauciJessica LaddDeAndre BrownMargot Bellon & Isabel WangRusty Boruff, Martin Casado & Mariel Triggs, Katie Nzekwu, Toni Short, Miamie SleepJohn CalipariJoan Ganz CooneyJUST Goods2022General Jacqueline D. Van OvostSharon McMahonDelfarib Fanaie, Nashauna Johnson-Lenoir, Terry McLean, King Singh, Kat WehuntShane BattierBen Collier, James Kanoff, and Aidan Reilly, founders of The Farmlink Project2023Paul Dreschnack, MDMariah Calagione, Reverend Roland Gordon, Jenna Shaffer, Luke Sharp, Michelle VachaLeeza Gibbons2024Amy & Ben WrightDavid Bates, Mateo Canamar, Matt Dorgan, Liz Estilow, Bruce KintnerReverend James LawsonBell Bank
Local awards partners (partial listing) In 1977, the Jefferson Awards began partnering with local newspapers and television stations. WQAD-TV WXOW KPIX WRTV (Multiplying Good awards) KBTX KBTX 2023 award KOAA
See also List of awards for volunteerism and community service
References