Josh Cares Receives 2011 Difference Maker Award

Back row: Volunteer Pete McConney, Board President Jim Barney Front row: Volunteer Maria Korengel, Senior Child Life Fellow Amy McGrory, Co-Founder Ann Helfrich, Executive Director Joy Blang, Co-Founder Dan Pierce

The Cincinnati Museum Center hosted the fourth annual Difference Maker Awards dinner Thursday evening to honor youth and adults, agencies and organizations who work to better the lives of children. Members of the community submitted nominations and six honorees (one youth, one organization and four adults) were chosen with the help of a judging panel.

"This year we received an amazing response of nominations for those who share Museum Center’s mission to make a difference in the lives of children in our community," said Douglass McDonald, president and CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center. "Whether it’s by tutoring and mentoring, providing support to children and families challenged by disabilities or overwhelmed by medical complications, educating and supporting adults to raise happy, healthy children or using their own experiences and backgrounds to encourage and build self-esteem – we were proud to recognize and celebrate each and every nominee, and are grateful for their work and dedication."

At the sold out dinner with master of ceremonies FOX19's Frank Marzullo, all nominees were recognized on stage and presented with a certificate; six were presented with 2011 Difference Maker Awards. After dinner, guests were invited to celebrate with cake in Positive Exposure, a new photography exhibit aimed at making a difference by featuring the beauty and humanity of those living with medical disorders while educating the broader community. Posters of the six honorees were also unveiled.

Josh Cares was selected from 14 nominated non-profit organizations. The highlight of the evening was when Josh Cares’ unknown nominator introduced himself as an individual who had spent a lengthy period of time in the Intensive Care Unit himself. Having no other connections to Josh Cares or any of our volunteers or donors, he heard about the organization in the community and researched our website on his own. Recognizing the critical need for a program to support seriously ill hospitalized children when their parents are not able to be with them, he submitted an application on our behalf. Josh Cares is extremely grateful to him for recognizing this need and for promoting our organization on such an important platform in the community.

For more details and information on the individual adult and youth recipients, see the Cincinnati Museum website.