Has an unsung hero touched your life? - 2021 Nomination Information - Ramapo College of New ...
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Has an unsung
hero touched
your life?
Jack Fanous
East Windsor
GI Go Fund
2013 Honoree
2021 Nomination Information
Dear Friend,
Twenty-five years ago Russ Berrie created the Making a
Difference Award to honor, as he put it, “outstanding people — just
common folks, not great scientists or people of great wealth…people
who work really hard and spend a lifetime giving up a lot of themselves.''
In his name, we continue to honor the unsung heroes whose selfless efforts
break down barriers, improve lives, and make New Jersey a better place to
live, work, and raise a family.
Events of this past year have profoundly impacted our world. COVID-19 continues
to devastate families and communities around our state. Appalling incidents of
violence across the nation show how far we have to go to address racial injustice and
systemic inequality.
“There is no greater
importance in life than
knowing you’ve helped a
fellow human being.”
- Russ Berrie, 1933-2002
Angelica Berrie with 2019 Honoree Bridget Cutler, North Plainfield, Founder, Moms Helping Moms Foundation
As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Making a Difference Award, we ask you to
help us recognize those people who, in the face of challenges and problems, have found
ways to make a difference.
Has an unsung hero touched your life? We encourage you to take a few minutes and
nominate a special person you’ve encountered and give him or her the chance to be
recognized for their service.
Thank you for helping us to identify and recognize these deserving individuals in 2021.
Angelica Berrie
President, Russell Berrie Foundation
Peter P. Mercer, J.D., Ph.D., Irene Cooper-Basch, Ph.D.,
President Executive Officer
Ramapo College of New Jersey Victoria Foundation
Co-Chair, Advisory Board Co-Chair, Advisory Board
2
Nominate Your Unsung Hero
Since 1997, the Russ Berrie Jodi O'Donnell-Ames
Titusville
Making a Difference Award has Hope Loves Company
2018 Honoree
given $3.5 million to 366
people, each of whom has an
inspiring story to tell about
how they made a difference.
They are the people who:
• Help others in need
• Give their time and energy to solve community
problems and transform neighborhoods
• Put others above themselves
• Bring hope to the forgotten and ignored
• Stand up for the rights of others
• Create opportunities for young people to succeed
• Protect the environment
In 2021, up to 10 awards will be given:
A top award of $50,000, two $25,000 awards,
and seven awards of $7,500.
All nominees will be recognized at the virtual
Award Ceremony in May 2021 and will
receive a Certificate of Appreciation.
Nominate your Unsung NJ Hero online
at berrieawards.ramapo.edu
Questions?
Email madaawards@ramapo.edu for more Karen Monroy, Ph.D.
information. Nominations must be Flemington
Grateful Bites
submitted by February 12, 2021. 2019 Honoree
3
Meet Some of Our Heroes
Linda Gillick, Toms River
Ocean of Love
2015 Honoree
Over 40 years ago, Linda learned that her
three-month-old son had cancer. Soon, huge
numbers of children from the Toms River area
had similar diagnoses. She pushed state health
ON
officials to explore environmental causes for
the high disease rates, eventually confirming
illegal dumping of chemicals into local
PI
waterways. Linda's efforts led to research and
M
forced a cleanup of several sites in the area.
H A She launched Ocean of Love in 1988, which
C has helped 500 families dealing with
childhood cancer in Ocean County. Linda's
son Michael has defied the odds but suffers
from cancer's aftereffects.
Zamir Hassan, Bedminster
Muslims Against Hunger
2014 Honoree
When Zamir visited a soup kitchen as a chaperone
for his son's class twenty years ago, he was shocked to
see homeless and hungry people in an affluent New
Jersey suburb. As a Muslim, he knew the liturgy
taught he should not go to bed if his neighbor were
hungry. He organized volunteers from his
congregation to serve at local soup kitchens. As
interest from other congregations grew, Zamir
founded Muslims Against Hunger, a network of D
EA
I
volunteer communities around the world who feed
the hungry, including the Hunger Van, a fleet of LIST
mobile soup kitchens.
4
A’Dorian Murray-Thomas, Newark
SHE Wins
2018 Honoree
A'Dorian lost her father to gun violence when
she was just seven years old. That tragedy
taught her the importance of a support system
to navigate life after loss. She created SHE
Wins to help young women from Newark who
have also been affected by violence. A'Dorian
has mentored over 500 girls through SHE
Wins, positioning them for college and career
R
success, and providing opportunities to address
T O community issues. A passionate advocate for
MEN her hometown, in 2019 she became the
youngest woman elected to the Newark Board
of Education at 23 years old.
Dana Spett, Mahwah
Pony Power Therapies
2007 Honoree
Dana founded Pony Power in 2000 with four riders
and one horse. Today, its 13-acre accessible farm is
home to 22 horses and ponies who enhance the
physical, social, and emotional well-being of
children and adults needing extra support. A
lifelong equestrian, Dana discovered therapeutic
horseback riding while researching therapies for
one of her daughters with mild special needs.
HE
Certified instructors and over 100 trained A
volunteers offer riding lessons outdoors and in LE
their indoor ring and provide opportunities to care
for small animals, explore nature trails, and harvest
R
produce from their "Farm in the Forest."
5
The Russell Berrie
Foundation
Russell Berrie was chairman and CEO of Russ Berrie &
Company, a New Jersey company that he started in a tiny
Russ and Angelica Berrie
rented garage in 1963. Known throughout the world by its
nickname – RUSS – this small company grew into a $300 million business that
revolutionized the way gifts and greeting cards are sold worldwide.
Mr. Berrie devoted time, energy, and resources to numerous charitable causes through the
Russell Berrie Foundation, created in 1985. As a philanthropist, he supported hundreds
of organizations and fostered initiatives that express his values, passions, and vision in the
areas of diabetes treatment, humanism in medicine, Jewish continuity, salesmanship as a
profession, arts and culture, and strengthening communities in northern New Jersey.
The Russell Berrie Foundation continues his legacy of generosity and has recognized 366
“Unsung New Jersey Heroes” with the Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award.
For more about the Russell Berrie Foundation, visit
www.russellberriefoundation.org
Ramapo College of New Jersey
Ramapo College of New Jersey, the state’s premier public
liberal arts college, is committed to academic excellence
through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and
international and intercultural understanding. Ramapo is
recognized as a top college by U.S. News & World Report,
Kiplinger’s, Princeton Review, and Money magazine, among
others, and is designated a “Military Friendly College” in
Victoria Media’s Guide to Military Friendly Schools.
Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts,
business, data science, humanities, social sciences, and the sciences, as well as
professional studies in business, education, nursing, and social work. In addition,
the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and
secondary levels, and offers nine graduate programs, as well as a post-master’s
Doctor of Nursing Practice.
Visit www.ramapo.edu and www.ramapo.edu/foundation to
learn more.
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Frequently Asked
Questions
How are nominations evaluated?
An Advisory Board of community and business
leaders from around the state reviews and
recommends nominations. They evaluate
nominees’ contributions based on the following:
• What has the individual accomplished?
• Why is their work important?
Gilman Choudhury
• How many people were helped? Paterson
Robotics Mentor at
• How far-reaching is the impact? Does it go beyond JFK High School,
a single community or group of people to have 2017 Honoree
statewide or nationwide impact?
• Is the person a volunteer, or paid? If paid, are the efforts
above and beyond their paid job?
• Will receiving the award make a significant difference in the person’s life?
Must nominees be New Jersey residents?
Yes. The Honoree must live in New Jersey and their work must help people or
communities in New Jersey.
Can a past Honoree receive an award?
No. Past Honorees are not eligible to receive a second award.
Can I nominate a "COVID Hero" — a health care professional, a first responder,
a law enforcement official, educator, or essential worker?
If you are nominating someone for achievements or heroic acts related to their job, please
describe why these actions “go above and beyond” the regular responsibilities of their work.
How will I know if my nominee is selected?
Those selected as 2021 Honorees are contacted in early April. All nominees who were not
selected and their nominators will receive an invitation to the virtual Award Ceremony.
The invitation will contain a card stating that they were not selected this year.
To stay up to date on nominations, the Award Ceremony, and past Honoree
stories we invite you to follow us on social media.
/BerrieAwardNJ /BerrieAwardNJ
The-Russell-Berrie-Foundation /BerrieAwardNJ 7
Award Honorees (2014-2019)
2019 2016
Bridget Cutler, North Plainfield Ziad Ahmed, Princeton
Michael Doliszny, Ocean City Betty Prezzy Bryant, Hillside
Katherine Evans, Newton Jane and Joseph Clementi, Ridgewood
Patrick Finn, Sewell Lisa Gladwell, River Edge
Melina Garcia, Union City Seth Grumet, Marlboro
Suzann Goldstein, Warren Adam Lowy, Asbury Park
Alexa Grabelle, Voorhees Vincent Mann, West Milford
Karen Monroy, PhD, Flemington Connie Mercer, Lawrenceville
Fraidy Reiss, Union County Julia Quinlan, Newton
Thomas von Oehsen, Trenton Danny Walls, Elmwood Park
Faye Zealand, Howell
2018
Edrick Alleyne, Eatontown 2015
Rev. Mildred Farrar, Paterson Paige Alenick, Woodcliff Lake
Melissa Gertz, Ringoes Dora Arias, Mountainside
Eileen Goff, Fort Lee Anthony Bevivino, Villas
Toba Grossbaum, Livingston Evangelia “Poppy” Davis, Cherry Hill
A’Dorian Murray-Thomas, Newark Linda Gillick, Toms River
Jodi O’Donnell-Ames, Titusville Eileen Griffith, Chester
Don Quigley, Manalapan Tom Cash, Short Hills
Benigno Rodriquez, Camden Dominique Lee, Newark
Ethan Sandlofer, Upper Saddle River Anne Ciavaglia McMahon, Hasbrouck Heights
Carla Scarabino, Monmouth Beach Brian Meersma, Princeton Junction
2017 2014
Brenda Antinore, Camden Joseph Abate III, North Caldwell
Kurt and Tricia Baker, Plainsboro Joseph Blythe, Hasbrouck Heights
Joseph Brown, Galloway Edith Coogan, Cranford
Marlene Ceragno, Fort Lee Patricia and Raymond Dansen, North Haledon
Gilman Choudhury, Paterson Keely Freeman, East Orange
Katelyn Darrow, Pitman Lisa Goldman, Clifton
Danielle Gletow, Ewing Rita Yohalem, West Orange
Lorna Henkel, Secaucus Zamir Hassan, Bedminster
Kiersten Miles, Sea Girt Joyce Jenkins, Marlboro
Bonnie O’Brien, Paramus Tawanda Jones, Camden
Charles Valentine, North Arlington William Smith, Fairview
Dr. Brian Ullman, DDS, Ho-Ho-Kus
For a complete list of all Honorees since 1997,
please visit our website at berrieawards.ramapo.edu
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