"We applaud those groups and individuals who are working to make a true and lasting difference in domestic poverty. As a way of celebrating these efforts we announce the annual 'In Harmony with HopeSM' award. In addition, we invite visitors to nominate those deserving of recognition with an 'Elfen Works' award."

The Elfenworks Foundation has announced the debut of their annual 'In Harmony with HopeSM' Awards to honor five individuals/organizations - each one signifying a part of the 'helping hand' representative of the Foundation's efforts at pinpointing the key areas related to this cause: education, social justice, healthcare, sustenance, and nonviolence. Our In Harmony With HopeSM awards kicks off by recognizing visionaries including Rosalynn Carter (Carter Center), Dr. Paul Farmer (Partners in Health), Joyce Dattner (Bay Area All Stars) and Paul Minorini (Boys Hope Girls Hope). The Elfenworks Foundation also accepts nominations for 'Elfen Works' Awards, as a way of celebrating less-known individuals/organizations who have been innovative in their local communities through their commitment to helping alleviate the effects of domestic poverty, yet have gone without recognition - until now.

The first two 2007 In Harmony With HopeSM awards were given to honorees at the Concert for Hope, celebrating the official launch of the Center for the Study of Poverty and Inequality at Stanford University on September 6th, 2007. This hopeful moment also celebrated the launch of Stanford's dynamic, go-to website for poverty and inequality data, inequality.com (from Stanford University's Center for the Study of Poverty and Inequality, part of a newly-formed Stanford initiative currently developing higher education programs together with critical online resources for addressing poverty and inequality).

 

2008 In Harmony With HopeSM Award Honorees

The following individuals have been selected for their creative contributions to mitigating domestic poverty.

HEALTH – Jack McConnell (founder), Volunteers in Medicine, vimi.org, created the first Volunteers in Medicine Clinic in 1994, when he paired a group of retired medical personnel who were searching for a way to continue practicing their profession with a large uninsured population on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Today, the Volunteers in Medicine Institute shepherds the replication of that program—there are 62 VIM clinics in 21 states whose 7,500 volunteers have delivered care to more than 120,000 uninsured Americans.
[harmony page]

NON-VIOLENCE - Lois Lee (Founder & Director), Children of the Night, childrenofthenight.org. Children of the Night has assisted more than 10,000 children between the ages of 11 and 17 who live on the streets and are forced into prostitution to pay for the food they eat and a place to sleep.
[harmony page]

 

2007 In Harmony With HopeSM Award Honorees

The following individuals have been selected for their creative contributions to mitigating domestic poverty.

EDUCATION - Paul Minorini (President & CEO) of Boys Hope Girls Hope, boyshopegirlshope.org - for helping children who have talent and potential but are trapped in communities of poverty, violence and dysfunction, honored at the Concert for Hope event at Stanford Memorial Church on September 6, 2007 [harmony page].

NONVIOLENCE - Joyce Dattner (Founder & Director), Bay Area All Stars, allstars.org. The All Stars Project creates outside of school, educational and performing arts activities for thousands of poor and minority youth and has been effective in promoting nonviolence and keeping kids off the streets honored at the Concert for Hope event at Stanford Memorial Church on September 6, 2007 [harmony page].

HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH - Mrs. Rosalynn Carter of The Carter Center, cartercenter.org, for her pioneering advocacy in mental health. Honored at a luncheon for the Carter Center Mental Health Fellowhip Programs, for which The Elfenworks Foundation is providing 2007 matching funds.
[harmony page]

SOCIAL JUSTICE - Dr. Paul Farmer of Partners in Health, pih.org, is a pioneer in bringing world-class m edicine to the poor. But it is largely for his work with inner-city AIDS patients living in Boston that we salute him. It says a lot that he's now needed back in the mean streets of Boston.
[harmony page].

Elfen Works Award Honorees

Our Elfen Works awards are meant to serve as a grass-roots involvement building tool. By enabling private citizens to nominate others they feel worthy of recognition, they may themselves be more likely to get involved in helping others.