• Stephen Schirra,Around the Worlds,
  Around the World – Ellington, Conn. **Having seen poverty all over the world, Stephen set out to use soccer as a driving force for youth development and social change. In 2015, he created Around the Worlds, Around the World to help teach the game of soccer to disadvantaged and marginalized youth in every corner of the world. The children he has worked with include orphans, victims of sexual abuse and child prostitution, refugees, earthquake survivors and children who have been tied to drug cartels. The game of soccer has allowed these children to use sport as an outlet and it has provided them with hope. To date, Stephen has shared the game of soccer with more than 3,700 underprivileged children from 23 different countries.

• Herbert Epstein,Community Legal Services and Counseling Center – Watertown, Mass.* *Herbert, who had his wife Jean accept on his behalf, is a volunteer at Community Legal Services and Counseling Center, where he provides pro bono legal representation to refugee victims of torture and persecution who are seeking asylum protection in the United States. He spent his career as a lawyer and upon retiring in 1990; he began his second career providing pro bono help to some of our most vulnerable community members. Even at the age of 92, he continues to volunteer at least twice a week, working with clients long term to ensure their safety. On average, Herbert helps between 30 and 40 individuals each year and over the past 27 years; he has helped more than 1,000 asylum seekers and their families.

• Doreen Holmes -IN-SIGHT – Cranston, Rhode Island.* *When she began to lose her vision, Doreen feared that she would not be able to participate in yoga because she was having trouble seeing her instructor. Thanks to the patience and creativity of her instructor, Doreen was able to find ways to continue fully participating in yoga classes. This experience inspired Doreen to take the classes she needed to become one of the first visually impaired certified yoga practitioners in the country. Twice a month, Doreen leads yoga classes for people who are visually impaired and/or victims of domestic violence. She uses small plastic figures that are in a variety of poses which participants can feel and then visualize the yoga pose. Doreen facilitates an open discussion to ensure participants feel safe and know that they are in a very supportive place.

• Scott Bulger, Clear Path for Veterans New England – Norfolk, Mass. For more than seven years, Scott has been a volunteer and community leader, committed to providing programs that support current and former service members and their families. He established Clear Path for Veterans New England as a way to offer critical resources to veterans and their families. Scott has helped to coordinate group therapy opportunities for veterans and hosts clothing drives for homeless veterans. Scott and his team are currently in the process of building a veterans community center in Devens, Mass. that will serve as a safe haven for those who have served our country.

Irene Orlando – Boys & Girls Club of Fall River – Fall River, Mass.Irene has committed her entire adult life to the Boys & Girls Club of Fall River. For more than fifty years, she has been volunteering almost every day at the club. She joined the board of directors back in 1981 and has helped to manage art exhibits, a stay in school initiative, fundraising events and prepares meals for more than 400 children during the holidays. Approximately 80 percent of the club members are from low-income families, many of whom represent Fall River's most at-risk and disadvantaged youth. Generations of members, staff and the board have been supported, nurtured and loved by Irene who they affectionately call Auntie and every day that she volunteers, every member greets Irene with a big hug and a smile.

• Linda and Eric Saulnier, Lyric's Champs – Somerville, Mass.As the parents of a child on the Autism spectrum, Eric and Linda seek every opportunity they can to provide additional services for their son, Lyric. Recognizing that not all parents have the same luxury, they started Lyric's Champs, a nonprofit organization that serves the special needs community. They began by offering a free, sensory-friendly skating program for children with disabilities where the children work one on one with a skating coach. Linda and Eric have fundraised tirelessly to provide scholarship opportunities for students and to purchase iPads, special sensory furniture and other learning resources for classrooms in the Somerville Public Schools system. Together, they are educating the public and creating a better world for people and families affected by autism.

• Steve Shover – Ronald McDonald House of Charities – Burlington, Vermont.Steve has been one of the biggest supporters of the Ronald McDonald House of Charities in Burlington for more than three decades. It all started 32 years ago when he started a "McBingo Night" fundraiser for the nonprofit. Since its inception, McBingo has raised more than one million dollars to support children and families who are battling life-threatening illnesses. Steve has now been on the board of directors for more than 25 years and launched a program known as Jingle Bell Express, a holiday train ride which has now become the nonprofit's largest annual fundraising event. A long time employee of JetBlue, Steve worked with his company to create "Dream Flight," a free flight over Mount Washington with V.I.P. treatment for children and their families.

• Jo-Anne Vanin, Friends of Children – Amherst, Mass. Fourteen years ago, Jo-Anne began her volunteer work at Friends of Children as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. Several communities in western Massachusetts have been hit hard by the opioid epidemic and the combination of parental addiction and significant mental health issues has led to an increase in the number of children involved in the child protection and welfare system.  Jo-Anne spends more than twenty hours a month meeting with children who have endured a history of abuse, neglect and trauma. She travels throughout Massachusetts to their families homes, foster homes and their residential placements to ensure that the children have a caring and consistent adult speaking on their behalf.

• Bob Dasciano – Community Harvest Project – North Grafton, Mass.In Worcester County, more than 82,000 individuals utilize emergency hunger relief services such as food pantries. More than 15 years ago, Bob wanted to ensure that struggling families were receiving the proper nutrition. He began volunteering at Community Harvest Project, a nonprofit farm dedicated to providing fresh produce to families in Worcester County. He is now the longest serving volunteer team leader and helps to grow more than 270,000 pounds of food each year. Bob is an active volunteer trainer, a lead fundraiser and educates families on the different types of produce that are available. Thanks to his volunteer efforts, Bob is directly responsible for getting 1.1 million servings of fresh food to individuals who need it most.

• Michelle Nicholas, Sojourner House – Newmarket, New Hampshire.The mission of Sojourner House is to promote healthy relationships by providing culturally sensitive support, advocacy and education for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Michelle joined the board of directors back in 2015, playing an active role in soliciting local sponsorship and support. During her tenure on the board, she learned about Camp Eureka, a free, week-long summer camp for children who witness abuse in their homes. Michelle also learned that a quarter of the camps budget was used to pay for an on-site nurse for the week. As an emergency room nurse herself, she immediately jumped at the opportunity to offer her services as a volunteer. As the camp nurse, Michelle not only ensures the safety of more than 40 children, but she also builds a positive rapport with the campers, recognizes their trauma triggers and intervenes during crises.

• Patrice Chapman, Bethsaida Community – Baltic, Conn. Several years ago, Patrice was a victim of domestic violence, battling addiction and was looking to get back on her feet. Patrice was able to graduate from one of Bethsaida's programs for homeless women and has served as an invaluable volunteer ever since. She brings women to addiction meetings, teaches them about recovery and educates them on ways to prevent relapse. Patrice is an avid speaker, advocating for women experiencing homelessness and speaks to at-risk teenage girls. She also provides recovery support groups to women in need and gives them advice on money management. Patrice is able to relate to the women and can usually be found at the Bethsaida facility offering up hugs and words of encouragement to those who need it most.

• Tony Tulo, Outdoors Again – Milton, New Hampshire.In 2006, Tony was injured in a logging accident and is now a quadriplegic, confined to a wheel chair. As somebody who always enjoyed the outdoors, he vowed to never let his accident stop him from doing the things that he loves. Six years ago, he learned about a new nonprofit organization called Outdoors Again, which provides outdoor activities and programs for handicapped and paralyzed individuals. Tony immediately volunteered and has been on the board of directors since the nonprofit's inception in 2012. The nonprofit serves a wide range of clients including people with ALS, veterans and youth and gives them a chance to participate in outdoor activities including hunting and fishing. Tony helps to share his story and reassures clients that they can still live a full and exciting life.

• Jordan and Samantha Hamelsky, The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children – Newton, Mass.In 2013, when she was just 10 years old, Jordan had a family friend who was adopted from the Ukraine and arrived in America with all of her belongings in a paper bag. She was moved by her friend's story and wanted to be able to help foster children who are going through a difficult transition. That year, Jordan and her sister Samantha created Comfort Kits, a volunteer program that supplies duffle bags for foster children that are filled with essential items including blankets, personal hygiene items, socks and more. Jordan and Samantha recruited their family and classmates and have spread their message throughout the community. Together, they provided more than 700 duffle bags full of essential items for foster children all across Massachusetts.

• Rebecca Manley, Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association – Newton, Mass.In 1994, Becky created the Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association to help educate people about positive body image, to treat those struggling with eating disorders and to provide support for their loved ones. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness and Becky is there to support those in need. Knowing that the Body Mass Index is not an accurate representation of a child's health, she had a law changed; giving parents an opportunity to opt their children out of school height and weight checks. Becky also published a book titled, "Teaching Body Confidence: A Comprehensive Curriculum for Girls." This book has sold more than 20,000 copies to support the nonprofit. Over the years, Becky has volunteered more than 31,000 hours and thanks to her leadership, parents and educators are learning the signs of eating disorders and understanding how to help those in need.

• Miguel Perez-Luna, EV Kids – Boston, Mass.EV kids empowers youth from Boston's inner city with the skills and confidence needed to realize their potential. Most of the students they have worked with live in the communities of Dorchester and Roxbury, where the poverty rates exceed 29 percent. In 2011, when he began attending Harvard University, Miguel became involved as a volunteer mentor, helping to provide 1 on 1 multi-year academic support to some of the most vulnerable students in the Boston area. Miguel was first matched with a very shy seventh grade student, who came from a Spanish speaking household and was struggling with English. By working closely with his mentee academically and helping to build his confidence levels, Miguel's mentee has graduated from high school and is now attending UMass Boston.

• Kendra Morales, For Goodness Sake – Bristol, Conn.In 2013, Kendra noticed that there were lots of individuals that were attempting to beat homelessness, but were having trouble affording the things they needed for self-sufficiency. She then created For Goodness Sake, a nonprofit that helps to provide furniture and other items for those who were transitioning out of homelessness. This was a new service to the Bristol community and in just five years, the organization has grown tremendously. Kendra now works with more than 30 different agencies and meets individually with every client. A constant advocate for the cause, she leads a team of more than 100 volunteers that has positively impacted more than 800 families in the Bristol area.

• Kristen St. Amour, Camp Jabberwocky – Duxbury, Mass.Camp Jabberwocky is an overnight recreational summer camp for people of all ages with disabilities. For the past 23 years, Kristen has been actively volunteering to ensure a memorable camp experience for all campers. She first started volunteering when she was just 15 years old and her commitment hasn't wavered. She began as a camp counselor, helping to lead campers through a variety of recreational activities including horseback riding and sailing. Kristen continuously volunteers for the entire month of July and throughout the rest of the year, she coordinates reunion activities to help the campers stay in touch. Over the years, Kristen has gotten to know every camper on a personal level and has positively impacted more than 300 individuals.

• Nick Schwartz, Camp Kesem at M.I.T. – Cambridge, Mass.Camp Kesem is a student run nonprofit organization that gives children an opportunity to enjoy a free, overnight summer camp without thinking about their parents battling cancer. This is the only camp of its kind in the area and they rely on volunteers like Nick to help make the camp run smoothly. For more than three years, Nick has been an instrumental part of the camp, serving as a camp counselor, helping to facilitate a variety of recreational activities while also being a shoulder to cry on. He is also a member of the nonprofit's executive team and thanks to his efforts, the camp raised more than $320,000 in two years, allowing them to continue to expand their camp and serve more children.

• Michael Harney, The Play Ball! Foundation – Concord, Mass.In 2006, when he was just 25 years old, Michael created the Play Ball! Foundation, a nonprofit organization designed to address the lack of athletic opportunities for urban youth. He targeted Boston area middle schools where 78 percent of the families were living near or below the poverty line. Michael enlisted the help of his friends and the local community to help fund six different sports leagues, including football, baseball, volleyball, ice hockey and soccer. The Play Ball Foundation covers 100 percent of program expenses and incorporates teachers at each school to help lead the programs. Students must maintain good grades in order to participate and thanks to Michael, more than 1,000 students at more than 20 schools in Boston and Lawrence have access to local sports programming.

• Riley Callen, The Be Brave for Life Foundation – Pawlet, Vermont.When she was just 12 years old, Riley was in the hospital receiving her third craniotomy. As she was recovering from surgery, she came up with the idea of starting her own foundation to help others who are affected by brain tumors. The mission of the Be Brave for Life Foundation is to inform, support and improve the lives of individuals affected by benign brain tumors and cerebrovascular disease. Riley has spearheaded a number of fundraising events and educated thousands of people about her experiences. She has been a part of national seminars and through her leadership, the Be Brave for Life Foundation has raised more than $400,000 to support research for brain tumors and cerebrovascular diseases.

• Lisa Belanger Kane, National Ovarian Cancer Coalition – Rockland, Mass.When Lisa was just 29 years old, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Over the next year, she began her treatments, had a full hysterectomy, lost all of her hair, had an allergic reaction to the chemotherapy and was thrown full force into menopause. Since 2011, she has been a team captain for an annual run/walk for cancer survivors to benefit the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. Over the years, her team has raised more than $220,000 to help fund early detection programs, quality of live for cancer survivors and research. While she continues her battle with ovarian cancer, Lisa remains steadfast in her commitments as an advocate, guest speaker and event coordinator to help improve the lives of other families who have been affected by cancer.

• Benjamin Robinson, Sarah's House – Hampden, Maine.Ben was serving in the Army for his second tour in Iraq when he received a phone call that would change his life. Ben's wife Sarah – who had recently had their first child – was diagnosed with brain cancer. Ben returned home to be with his wife and to help her find the proper treatment. Sadly, his wife lost her battle with cancer. Ben was devastated but wanted to do something to make sure that Sarah would not be forgotten. During her treatments, Ben recognized an unmet need for families that were receiving treatments. Families would travel great distances for expensive treatments but had no place to stay. After Sarah's passing, Ben created Sarah's House – the only house of its kind on the state of Maine – which provides temporary lodging to cancer patients, allowing them to be comfortable in a home-like environment.

Beth Molnar, The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center – Milton,
Mass. "For more than two decades, Beth has been an integral part of the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, helping to provide critical support to victims of sexual violence. She began in the medical accompaniment program providing 24-hour support to survivors of sexual assault to area emergency rooms. As their board president, she has led the organization during a period of
unprecedented growth while increasing their reach and ability to respond to the needs of the community. When Beth first began volunteering, the organization served 20 survivors a year in their medical accompaniment program. Thanks to Beth's leadership, the medical accompaniment program served more than 500
survivors in 2017 and the nonprofit as a whole provides critical support to thousands of survivors and their families each year.

• Michael Shain, Thanks to Yanks – Milford, Mass.Following the tragedy of 9/11, Michael hosted a community dinner in Milford to help bring military families together. This dinner has become an annual tradition and now serves more than 450 families. Michael also works with seven homeless shelters throughout New England to provide food and other items to veterans who are experiencing homelessness. This past year, Michael helped to assemble more than 600 care packages for military serving overseas. He also hosts social events for military families, presents flags to retiring military members and makes sure that all military members are properly thanked and recognized for their service to our country.

• Ramona Jones-Weeks, Generations – Jamaica Plain, Mass.Ramona's youngest child Anthony could often be found helping younger children learn how to read. Tragically, in 2002, Anthony was murdered by a young man who had mistaken Anthony for another neighborhood teen. Anthony was just 17 years old. Since his death, Ramona has committed herself to helping her youngest neighbors feel valued and engaged in school. Serving as a mentor, tutor and leader, she volunteers up to 15 hours a week in classrooms in Dorchester and Mattapan. As a site team leader, Ramona meets regularly with teachers and school administrators to understand the challenges that teachers and students are facing in the classroom. She helps to strategize with Generations to better prepare their volunteers to support students' academic and social-emotional growth. Over the last four years alone, Ramona has provided more than 2,000 volunteer hours to tutor the next generation while helping to keep her son's legacy alive.

Grand Prize Winner, Patricia Thompson Leavitt from the Leavitt's Mill Free Health Center in Buxton, Maine.

Since creating the nonprofit organization in 2003, Patricia has served as the volunteer executive director of the Leavitt's Mill Free Health Center, providing a free rural health clinic to uninsured residents living in Maine. Many of the individuals that she serves are self-employed, range in age from 18 to 64 and have been uninsured for five to ten years. Patricia volunteers a minimum of 12 to 16 hours per week while wearing many different hats for the nonprofit.

She is the family nurse practitioner, serving more than 240 patients each year. Patricia is also the clinical director, helping to review all lab and diagnostic test results with patients. She also provides direct leadership to more than 40 volunteers including dentists, nurses and physicians. Patricia was instrumental in securing a new facility for the nonprofit and has personally secured a variety of free services, including acupuncture, chiropractic therapy, dental work, optometry services and more.