Inspire Attends the Do Something Awards

by Jessica Moyeda, Youth Council Member

Do Something Awards is no ordinary awards ceremony; it is a celebration centered on the spirit of volunteerism, honoring those that have used their ideas to change lives. I had the honor to attend the ceremony in Los Angeles on August 14th with Anastasia Goodstein and Elizabeth Rosenberg – two of the amazing staff members behind the Inspire USA Foundation – and I watched in awe as some of the most inspirational young leaders of today were presented as finalists for the Grand Prize. Leaders, such as Taryn Guerrero Davis founder of The American Widow Project, a support network for widows of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Adam Lowy, who utilizes the resources of moving companies to help combat hunger   in the U.S. with his project Move For Hunger.
Indeed, the Do Something Award Grand Prize is the premiere national award for social action: finalists and winners represent the foremost “do-ers” in their field or cause, often educating the public, engaging the media and local governments, and collaborating with other not-for-profits to maximize their impact. In short, each finalist works tirelessly to improve the lives of other people, requiring a strong commitment to both the community and to social change.

In the moments before the winner of the $100,000 grand prize was announced the anticipation and excitement were palpable: people around me were holding their breath, the finalists had their hands tightly entwined – as a show of their camaraderie – and all I could think was that I wish they could all win that grand prize. In the end, though, only a single finalist was named The Do Something Award Grand Prize Winner, a lengthy title to be sure, yet worthy of its recipient Sarah Cronk. Her project, The Sparkle Effect, uses the power of cheerleading to foster acceptance among teens with disabilities. In truth, though, they are all winners since each finalist is awarded $10,000 upon nomination but more so because their ideas have actually changed lives and their efforts have inspired other young people to action.

In the final moments of the ceremony and long after, my thoughts were consumed by the realization that organizations like DoSomething.org and the Inspire USA Foundation are important because of their extensive and far-reaching impact on the lives of others. DoSomething.org has been around for more than a decade, but I believe it is crucial to remember that it all began with the idea of a single individual. It is a powerful feeling to know that a single person has the potential to make a difference in our world, and I thank DoSomething.org for that reminder.