The President’s Volunteer Service Award is the most prestigious volunteer award associated with the White House.
In celebration of Presidents’ Day, the Long Island Volunteer Center (LIVC) hosted a President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) ceremony at the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island in Garden City on February 18, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Fifteen students, ages 9 to 21, received Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards for their volunteer efforts that totaled 2,127 hours at 25 nonprofit and community-based organizations.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award is the most prestigious volunteer award associated with the White House. The students earned their awards because they donated the required number of hours to meet the award levels that included young adults, teens, and kids. Each received a pin, a medallion, an engraved certificate and a congratulatory letter from U.S. President Joseph Biden. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and New York State Senator Kevin Thomas also provided certificates of recognition for the students.
The award winners were:
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Matthew K. Adarichev, Hofstra University, Gold/Young Adults -
Irene Chen, Syosset High School, Gold/Teens -
Olivia Chen, Syosset High School, Gold/Teens -
Salena Chu, Syosset High School, Gold/Teens -
Mason Hecht, Northport High School, Bronze/Young Adults -
Elizabeth Hsiao, Roslyn High School, Gold/Teens -
Ethan Hsiao, Roslyn High School, Gold/Teens -
Amanat Deviki Jain, Garden City High School, Gold/Teens -
Armaan Chandragupta Jain, Garden City Stewart School, Bronze/Kids -
Mannat Vikramaditya Jain, Garden City High School, Gold/Teens -
Kalista Lin, North Shore High School, Gold/Young Adults -
Lucy Elizabeth MacInnes, Harbor Fields High School, Gold/Young Adults -
Sarah Persaud, Lindenhurst Middle School, Silver/Teens -
Sophia Persaud, Lindenhurst William Rall Elementary, Gold/Kids -
Alison Tae, Jericho Senior High School, Gold/Young Adults
The Mineola Boy Scouts Pack 246 performed color guard duties to kick off the event. Diana O’Neill, LIVC Executive Director, in her welcome address said “Leading by example, these students used their time and talents to help build community, advance the human condition, and expand the reach and impact of the nonprofits and community organizations they served.” As certifying officer for PVSA, LIVC Board Chair Patricia Force, presented the awards. Donna Buccelatto, Volunteer Administrator at the Hempstead based Mary Brennan INN gave closing remarks.
About the President’s Volunteer Service Award: In 2003, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation founded the President’s Volunteer Service Award to recognize the important role of volunteers in America’s strength and national identity. This award honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too. The PVSA has continued under each administration, honoring the volunteers who are using their time and talents to solve some of the toughest challenges facing our nation. Led by the AmeriCorps and managed in partnership with Points of Light, this program allows Certifying Organizations to recognize their most exceptional volunteers. Different levels of earned awards are bestowed based on hours volunteered at nonprofit organizations.
AmeriCorps Volunteering in America Report—New York • 3,356,751 formal volunteers contributed 209.1 million hours of service through organizations worth an estimated $7.2 billion, 21.7% of residents formally volunteered through organizations, 96.2% of residents talked to or spent time with friends or family, 45.1% of residents informally helped others by exchanging favors with their neighbors, 67.7% of residents had a conversation or spent time with their neighbors, 24.0% of residents belonged to an organization, 47.7% of residents donated $25 or more to charity,
About the Long Island Volunteer Center: Established in 1992, the Long Island Volunteer Center, an affiliate of Points of Light, is the regional center for volunteerism and community service initiatives throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties. It provides a central hub for individuals and groups looking for ways to serve their communities by connecting them directly with nonprofit organizations through a volunteer matching platform. It also works to raise the profile of volunteerism in the region and increase the number of new volunteers to meet community needs. In 2011, the LIVC was designated by New York State as the Regional Volunteer Center for Long Island. It is an independent nonprofit organization registered with the IRS and a certifying organization for PVSA awards.
