The United State’s largest independent kidney patient organization has awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Awards to dozens of kidney advocates for their support and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The American Association of Kidney Patients launched its inaugural President’s Volunteer Service Awards (PVSA) program by virtue of becoming a certifying organization of the President’s Volunteer Service Awards, according to PR Newswire.
Founded in 2003, the President’s Volunteer Service Awards “honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too,” the PVSA website stated. AmeriCorps, a federal agency for service and volunteerism, leads the awards program that is managed with Points of Light, an organization of volunteer service.
“This program allows certifying organizations to recognize their most exceptional volunteers,” the PVSA website said. Certifying organizations are eligible to give out President’s Volunteer Service Awards.
Depending on age, certain volunteer hours within a 12-month period are required to earn awards, according to a website on PVSA eligibility requirements.
For example, for adults ages 26 and over, the bronze award requires from 100 to 249 volunteer hours; silver from 250 to 499 hours and gold, 500 and over hours.
“In 2019, AAKP launched The Decade of the Kidney™, a strategic effort to organize kidney patient consumers nationally and globally to drive policies to prevent kidney injury and disease, support greater patient care choice, innovation and timely access to care and new treatment options,” the press release stated.
In 2020, AAKP volunteers helped grow the organization’s national and global reach through sophisticated virtual platforms, international patient group partnerships, clinical journal editorials, television, radio, social media and a growing Patient Ambassador Initiative.
"At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, AAKP changed all 2020 events to free virtual access, prioritized COVID-19 topics, and leveraged tactics to engage a wider audience," the press release stated.
Presidential Volunteer Service Awards honorees, according to the press release, were: Gold Medal –Richard Knight, Edward V. Hickey III, Paul T. Conway, Steven Belcher, Dr. Dominic Raj, Dr. Stephen Fadem; Silver Medal – Kent Bressler, Brian Hess, Dr. Muralidharan Jagadeesan, Jennifer Jones, Dr. Janice Lea, James Myers, Glenda Roberts, David Rodriguez, Dale Rogers, Suzanne Ruff, Lana Schmidt, Dr. Rebecca Schmidt, Dr. Barry Smith, Nancy Uhland; Bronze Medal – Dan Abel, Meshia Adams, Melissa Bensouda, Lisa Garner, Katina Lang-Lindsey, Dammeon Marshall, Sharron Rouse, Patrick O. Gee Sr. and Bob Abbott.
