Frequently Asked Questions About the Caring Awards

What is the purpose of the National Caring Awards?

In response to a challenge from Mother Teresa to do something about the "… poverty of the spirit in America that far exceeds the poverty of the body that one finds in the Third World,” CI Founder Val J. Halamandaris created a program to educate and inspire the public. Remembering a quote from Albert Schweitzer which said, "When it comes to education, example is not just a factor, it is the only factor that matters," Halamandaris began looking for individuals who had dedicated their lives in service to others--individuals who could serve as role models for our society. "A nation is what it honors," says Halamandaris. "Mother Teresa recognized that caring is the one-word distillation of the Golden Rule. She helped me recognize that America has a high stake in identifying and honoring individuals who are preeminent in this value."

What is the process for nominating a person for a National Caring Award?

Since 1987, the CI has contacted all major newspapers; television stations; governors; members of Congress; mayors; CEOs of all of the Fortune 500 companies; as well as other civic, political and business leaders asking them to nominate individuals they believe are living examples of how caring can make a difference. To date, CI has solicited more than a quarter of a million nominations from which CI receives thousands of nominations each year. Anyone can nominate a potential award winner filling out a simple nomination form and describing why a person should be considered for this honor.

How Are the Award Winners Chosen?

CI staff of volunteers conducts exhaustive research, interviewing those who know the potential candidates. The field is narrowed to twenty potential adult recipients and ten young adults. The adult candidates are all interviewed in person. Brief composite biographies are then developed and sent to a panel of sixty illustrious judges for a final vote by secret ballot.

What criteria are used by the judges in determining who the best candidates are?

Many objective and subjective factors are considered when choosing the final awardees, but here is a brief list that plays a pivotal role in deciding:

• Type of service (Is this an individual effort or an exemplary leader of an innovative program?)
  
• Length of service (How long has the candidate been actively involved?)
  
• Depth of commitment (What type of time, money and emotional investments have been made?)
  
• Scope and impact (How many people have benefited from the candidate’s efforts?)
  
• Innovation (Has the candidate created a new program or taken an existing effort to new heights?)
  
• Impact (Is the candidate addressing society’s needs and working to make a lasting difference?)
  
• Degree of difficulty (How many obstacles has the candidate overcome to attain his or her vision?)

Who are some of the past recipients of the National Caring Award?

Past recipients include:

• President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter, for their decades public service work here and abroad;
  
• Dr. Jack McConnell, who provides free care to the indigent through his Volunteers in Medicine, an organization of retired medical workers which has been replicated in cities across our nation;
  
• Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity, which builds homes for the poor;
  
• Mary Jo Copeland, founder driving force behind Caring & Sharing Hands, an organization that provides food and clothing for the homeless;
  
• Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s International, for his support of numerous children’s charities, and his tireless advocacy on behalf of the value of adoption;
  
• Cathrine Sneed, founder of the Garden Project, which teaches prisoners to grow food for the poor;
  
• Mimi Silbert, founder and Director of Delancey Street, a restaurant and moving company that employs and rehabilitates criminal offenders;
  
• Tom Chappell, of Tom’s of Maine, for his laudable corporate conscience and commitment to preserve and improve the environment; and
  
• Thomas Cannon, a postal worker, who despite modest means and many family health challenges has given over one hundred individual gifts of $1,000 to strangers that he determined were in need of compassion and financial assistance.

When did the Institute begin recognizing young recipients?

CI announced its first class of adult award recipients in 1989. The following year it moved to carry out a recommendation to also honor young adults for their extraordinary achievements. It is believed that young people will likely be inspired more by the accomplishments of their peers.

About the National Caring Award Ceremony

Each National Caring Award recipient is flown to Washington, DC. These like-minded souls are joined together and afforded the opportunity to share vital information and find answers to questions that will aid them upon their return to their important work. This is especially helpful to those who have labored long in solitude, perhaps even in obscurity.

The actual awards are presented in a formal ceremony. The award itself is a beautiful bronze statue depicting “caring” as envisioned by the world-renowned sculptor, the late Frank Eliscu. The originator of thousands of remarkable pieces, Mr. Eliscu is best remembered for creating the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Presidential Eagle found in the Oval Office of the White House, and of course the Heisman Trophy.

A prestigious group of presenters preside over the ceremony, which has often been deemed a totally unique event that is at once both life-affirming and life-altering. By agreeing to permit CI to honor them, these extraordinary individuals inspire untold numbers of their fellow citizens to choose their own causes, and thereby join in the transforming of our planet for the better. The publicity that each recipient receives will ultimately translate into increased participation and donations to their programs, allowing the continuation and hopefully the expansion of these positive forces in our society.

“When you realize how much phenomenal work is being done everyday by ordinary individuals, quietly changing our world by working for the betterment of mankind, it makes you stop and wonder why you don’t hear about these extraordinary people and others like them in the news more often,” offers Halamandaris.

What is the Hall of Fame for Caring Americans and where is it located?

The Hall of Fame of Caring Americans is an institution dedicated as a permanent memorial to the extraordinary individuals who have been selected to receive the National Caring Award. The Hall of Fame is located in the first home of famed statesman, Frederick Douglass, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. A former slave and leading abolitionist of the 19th century, Douglass was also a great humanitarian. This unique historical home contains Douglass artifacts and memorabilia, donated by the National Park Service. It also features the portraits and biographies of the National Caring Award recipients, and honors the winners of the national Art of Caring Photography and Poster Contest. The museum has been in operation since 1991 and is open to the public.

How is the Caring Institute funded?

CI is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that gratefully accepts corporate contributions, foundation grants, and individual donations, all of which are tax deductible as allowable by law.

For more information contact:

Richard Brennan at 202.547.4273 (phone), 202.547.4510 (fax), e-mail: rdb@nahc.org
Or write to the Caring Institute at 228 Seventh Street SE, Washington, DC 20003.