Award Categories
Animal Welfare
Recognizes individuals whose exemplary volunteer service involving or on behalf of animals and their owners has a positive impact on health and well-being in their community.
Community Pillar
Recognizes individuals who by the breadth and depth of their service across many categories of volunteerism significantly contribute to their community.
Corporate Leadership
Recognize corporate entities and businesses that demonstrate social responsibility, set an example, and provide opportunities for employees to engage in volunteer efforts through extraordinary and consistent support of charitable causes.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Champion for Justice
Recognize those who continue the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through their work to promote Dr. King’s message of civil rights, justice for all, peace and non-violence in our communities and our state.
This award is a partnership with the New Jersey Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission.
Education
Recognizes volunteers who provide academic and/or extracurricular support to others of all ages.
Elected Officials Award
Recognizes outstanding service done by elected officials beyond the duties of their job description and those encouraging and fostering volunteerism within the communities they serve.
Emergency Services/First Responders
Recognize volunteer EMTs, police, fire fighters and other emergency service volunteers who ensure public safety and well-being by responding to emergency situations, engaging in community awareness and education, and providing for safer communities.
Environmental Stewardship
Recognize volunteers who pioneer and promote energy conservation and environmental action to foster a clean, green, sustainable environment and/or those who establish or revitalize conservation practices and public awareness within the local, state, national or global community.
Executive Leadership
Recognizes company executives who utilize their status to encourage and foster volunteerism within their organization and the larger community.
Faith-Based Services
Recognize individuals whose volunteer efforts through their commitment to a faith-based organization serve the needs of the broader community.
Feed The Hungry / House The Homeless
Recognizes individuals whose volunteer efforts address the needs of those striving to meet the basic needs of food and shelter in our community.
Founders/Innovators
Recognize individuals whose vision and dedication result in the establishment of a new organization to meet unmet needs or improve means of meeting those needs.
Good Neighbor
Recognize individuals who consistently perform acts of kindness towards neighbors in need and through a series of simple good deeds have made a significant difference in the lives of others.
Healthcare Service
Recognizes service that supports or is supported by individuals or groups in the healthcare industry. This also includes support given to healthcare workers and organizations.
Lifetime Service
Recognize individuals whose lifelong commitment to volunteerism has made a measurable impact upon the community.
NJ National Service Programs Award
Recognizes outstanding community servants who serve as part of National Service programs, such as AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Seniors, VISTA, Volunteer Generation Fund, etc.
Service by/for Armed Service Members/Veterans/Military
Recognizes extraordinary volunteer service in support of or performed by veterans/those in active military service.
Service Through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
Application of science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics skills and knowledge to develop solutions to problems at the individual, home, school, community, or global level. Increased awareness, financial support, service, and/or advocacy are all examples of “solutions”.
Service to Youth
Recognize those volunteer activities that directly or indirectly enhance the lives and development of the youth population.
Volunteer Program/Group
Recognize an outstanding volunteer group or program consisting of 3 or more individuals, ages 19 and over, who coordinate and participate in various volunteer activities to benefit their communities.
Volunteer Leadership
Recognize individuals who by their example and efforts inspire and recruit others to become actively involved in volunteerism and community service.
Youth in Service
Recognize young individuals (ages 19 and under) who lead and inspire both peers and adults to participate in volunteer efforts and/or those youth who are dedicated to establishing new or supporting existing community service programs.
Youth Volunteer Program/Group
Recognize an outstanding volunteer group or program consisting of 3 or more individuals, all ages 19 and under, who coordinate and participate in various volunteer activities to benefit their communities.