Russ Berrie Awards 2018 - Part 2

During part two of this three-part special, Steve Adubato goes on-location to the 2018 Russ Berrie "Making a Difference Awards" to talk with extraordinary unsung heroes who change lives of New Jersey residents through community service and kindness.

Guests Include:

A’Dorian Murray-Thomas, Founder, SHE Wins, Inc.
Adam Lowy, Founder, Move for Hunger
Ethan Sandlofer, Founder, E’s Battle Buddies
Carla Scarabino, Co-Founder, The Beauty Foundation of Cancer Care
Elaine Adler, Founder, The Adler Aphasia Center
Benigno “Pino” Rodriguez, Founder, The Block Supporter Initiative

7/26/18 #2151

Excerpt:

"Hi, this is Steve Adubato. This in fact is the afterparty, if you will, the after event, the 22nd annual Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award. This event is something I've been a part of from day one. It is extraordinary. The people you're about to meet are the honorees we recognize this year... 11 honorees. Past honorees who've come back to talk about the difference that they continue to make, how their organizations have grown, how they've partnered with others to try to have a greater impact. The whole idea, the whole concept behind this is making a difference. That's what our late, great friend Russ Berrie taught us a long time ago, when these awards were created. Angelica Berrie, the President of the Russ Berrie Foundation... you'll see her in this special as well. That's what she talks about. She talks about having a ripple effect, making a difference. These people are amazing. They've come through so much to give back to others. I'm confident that your view of the world, your view of people will be changed, in what you're about to see right now. We welcome A’Dorian Murray-Thomas of Newark, New Jersey, created an organization called SHE Wins. You won today! [laughter] I did. Talk about the organization. Thank you. So, born and raised in the City of Newark by an educator and a small business owner. My dad... who actually immigrated to the US when he was just a few years younger than me from Guyana. So I came up from a really hard working family, but unfortunately tragedy hit when I was seven years old and my father was gunned down just two blocks from our house. And so, I really had to wrestle with that for a lot of my childhood and I had an amazing mom who... and family, who supported me and created these services and just sort of systems of not necessarily feeling like just because I experienced a tragedy, my future was in jeopardy. And so, in college, I got the opportunity to start my own organization and... You didn't get the opportunity, you chose to start it? I chose to start it, you're absolutely right. And I specifically went to Swarthmore College because I knew that that college valued the same things I valued, which is service and civic responsibility. And so, I applied for a grant to do a girls leadership organization for..."