2008 Revolutions Award Winners
The 2008 Revolutions Awards were presented at the 17th annual Georgia Nonprofit Summit during the Awards Luncheon on Tuesday May 6, 2008.
About the Revolutions Award
The purpose of the Revolutions Award is to recognize revolutionary leaders within Georgia’s nonprofit sector and celebrate them—while inspiring and motivating others.
The Revolutions Award aims to acknowledge, recognize and honor individuals who demonstrate the following:
- Revolutionary leadership
- Creation of positive, transformative change within their organization or communities and
- Measurable, positive outcomes from this change
We received many applications for the 2008 Revolutions award and all of the nominees were outstanding. It was not an easy decision to select the winners!
The Revolutions Award is awarded in four categories. We are pleased to announce the winners:
- Nonprofit Leader - Mrs. Alana Shepherd; Founder of the Shepherd Center
- Nonprofit Organization - MedShare International
- Legendary Philanthropist - Mrs. Barbara T. (Bobbi) Cleveland; Executive Director of The Tull Charitable Foundation
- Emerging Philanthropist - Mr. Keith Brookings; Founder of The Keith Brooking Children's Foundation
About the winners
Alana Shepherd
Shepherd Center
Revolutions Award: Nonprofit Leader
Alana Shepherd, her husband, Atlanta businessman Harold Shepherd, and son James are founding board members of Shepherd Center. James Shepherd was paralyzed in a surfing accident in 1973 and recovered from his spinal cord injury at an out-of-state facility. The Shepherds were convinced that Atlanta should support a similar rehabilitation facility and, with the help of the Atlanta medical community and donors, they put into motion the beginnings of Shepherd Center.
Since its inception in 1975, the 120-bed not-for-profit hospital has grown to be the country’s largest catastrophic care hospital, specializing in the treatment of people with spinal cord injuries, acquired brain injuries, multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders, and urological problems. Shepherd Center is a Model Center in spinal cord injury and an official Multiple Sclerosis Center, designated by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Georgia Chapter.
Alana continues to work tirelessly for the patients at Shepherd and regularly communicates with community leaders, legislators, the media, friends, and whoever will listen to increase public awareness of people with disabilities and to change attitudes and misperceptions.
In addition to her role as advocate and activist for both Shepherd Center and people with disabilities, Alana has remained an active volunteer for more than 30 years. She was the first woman to serve on the board at Wachovia Bank of Georgia and Genuine Parts Company, and the first female president of the Fulton County unit of the American Cancer Society. She also served as a Girl Scout leader, a board member of Atlanta’s Trinity School and an elder of Trinity Presbyterian Church.
MedShare International
Revolutions Award: Nonprofit Organization
MedShare has the privilege of serving both the local Atlanta community as well as communities around the world. In 2007, MedShare shipped 78 forty-foot containers full of vital medical supplies and equipment. MedShare knows it transforms communities when recipients report that MedShare’s supplies have allowed more patients to be treated and more lives to be saved. In January of this year, two doctors who had been working in the western African nation of Niger visited MedShare to give an update on a container shipment to the Maine-Soroa District Hospital. The forty-foot MedShare container had allowed them to treat 1,100 patients in the third quarter of the year, up from 400 during the quarter before the shipment arrived. Over four times as many surgical consultations were performed as a result of the MedShare supplies. Reports such as this one confirm the success of MedShare’s mission.
Locally, MedShare’s initiatives allow medical manufacturers, distributors and hospitals to dispose of waste while improving the state of global healthcare. MedShare receives donations of medical supplies and equipment – almost 9 tons a week in 2007 – from national partners including over 30 local hospitals and clinics. Donations barrels placed in operating rooms and emergency rooms give healthcare personnel an alternative to throwing away supplies which might have been unused in a pack but are still individually sterile and usable. By diverting waste from landfills and engaging local healthcare personnel in our process, MedShare has a positive effect not only on its recipient communities but also on the metro Atlanta community.
MedShare has taken the lead in the community of medical surplus recovery organizations. It has spearheaded the formation of a national association of such groups, MedSurplus Network, which will allow the sharing of best practices.
Barbara T. (Bobbi) Cleveland
The Tull Charitable Foundation
Revolutions Award: Legendary Philanthropist
Barbara T. (Bobbi) Cleveland was raised in New Jersey, but moved to Atlanta in 1971 after receiving a Master in Social Work degree from UNC/Chapel Hill. She served for many years as a consultant to state government and nonprofit organizations, working on projects related to the planning and evaluation of health and human service programs. During her early years in Atlanta, Bobbi was active on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Conservancy and the Junior League of Atlanta. She was a founding board member of APPLE Corps, a predecessor to the current Atlanta Education Fund.
In 1987, Bobbi became the first Executive Director of the Tull Charitable Foundation, a private grant-making foundation based in Atlanta that funds Georgia-based nonprofit organizations. During her tenure at the Foundation, she has had an opportunity to provide leadership for a number of initiatives that address the needs of at-risk children and families. In 2001, she helped launch the Family Connection Partnership (FCP) and has served on its Executive Committee for seven years. FCP is a statewide organization that supports the work of 159 local Family Connection Collaboratives that strive to improve outcomes for Georgia’s children and families. In 2003, Bobbi was instrumental in the founding of Voices for Georgia’s Children, a statewide child advocacy organization. She is currently providing leadership for the formation of EMBRACE, a statewide public-private initiative that focuses on the recruitment and retention of foster families.
Bobbi has been selected to participate in Leadership Atlanta, Leadership Georgia, and the Regional Leadership Institute. She has been chosen by the YWCA of Greater Atlanta for its Academy of Women Achievers and recognized by Atlanta Woman magazine as one of the 2007 25 Power Women.
Bobbi is married to Stan Jones. They enjoy the company of their three grown children, Karen, Mike and Billy.
Keith Brooking
The Keith Brooking Children's Foundation
Revolutions Award: Emerging Philanthropist
Keith Brooking, founder of The Keith Brooking Children's Foundation, has been recognized as an all pro linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons for many years now in his NFL career. These years of success on the field have allowed Keith to position himself as a leader and contributor in an area just as important to him. That area is his life of philanthropy.
Keith Brooking is an individual who measures success by the people he touches along the way through opportunities which allow him to give to those whose circumstances in life have been less than favorable. Through the example of his mother, Keith learned at an early age that not everyone is afforded good fortune in life. Furthermore, when these situations exist, it is imperative that people who are in positions to assist those less fortunate do so. Keith has understood that, and like his mother, has chosen to dedicate his good will to foster children. In 2003, Keith established the Keith Brooking Children’s Foundation. This has been his conduit for his passion of serving the foster children of the metro Atlanta area.
Through the foundation, he has been able to provide numerous opportunities for foster children ranging from scholarships for education, transportation for community shelters, grants for specific needs, to hundreds of pairs of athletic shoes for metro Atlanta children. Equally as important to all of these programs, Keith as encouraged these many children that health, integrity and education are essential for success in life. His message to the kids has always been that “believing in who you are and recognizing your self worth through respect and giving to others, will lead to a life of fulfillment no matter what career path you choose.”
Keith Brooking is thankful for the opportunity life has bestowed upon him, and he is even more thankful that he can share that with others.
The Center congratulates all of the 2008 Revolutions Award winners and nominees!