About the Daily Point of Light Award
The Daily Point of Light Award is a national volunteer award that celebrates extraordinary everyday service. Points of Light created it to honor individuals who take action to create change in their communities. Recognition goes beyond celebrating one person and helps more people see what is possible and inspires others to serve.
Honor Someone Whose Service Deserves to be Seen
The Daily Point of Light Award is a way to celebrate people whose volunteer service reflects care, commitment, and real community impact. If you know someone who is making a difference through sustained service, this is a chance to recognize their work and help their story reach others.
Who Can Be Nominated
- Volunteers of any age
- Individuals creating meaningful community impact
- People whose service shows consistency, leadership, or sustained commitment
- Changemakers whose work helps others, solves problems, or strengthens community ties
How the Nomination Process Works
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Step One
Submit a nomination and share who the volunteer is, what they do, and why their service matters.
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Step Two
The Points of Light team reviews submissions and may follow up for additional details if needed.
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Step Three
Selected honorees are featured and celebrated, inspiring others to take action and give back.
Eligibility
The Daily Point of Light Award is open to legal U.S. residents whose volunteer service is unpaid and not court-ordered. Nominees may receive a nominal stipend or paid time off to volunteer and still be eligible. In most cases, the service should have been ongoing for at least six uninterrupted months, except in disaster relief.
Strong nominations reflect service that responds to a real community need, shows clear impact, and has a path to continue over time.
Criteria
Nominations are reviewed using three core criteria:
- A clear community need and a thoughtful response
- Demonstrated impact, including outputs or outcomes
- An innovative or distinctive approach to addressing serious social problems
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Daily Point of Light Honorees
Each Daily Point of Light story highlights an individual whose volunteer service is meeting real needs and creating meaningful change. Collectively, these stories show what service looks like in action and how one person’s commitment can motivate more people to make a difference.
Know someone whose service deserves recognition?
Nominate a volunteer for the Daily Point of Light Award and help bring their story to light so it can reach and inspire others to act.
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When Cooking Classes Become Vital Life Skills
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Shannon Apgar. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light. Shannon Apgar has spent her Thursday evenings over the past year at Covenant House Alaska, where anywhere from five to…
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THIS VOLUNTEER HELPS OTHERS FIND FINANCIAL STABILITY
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Kevin Patterson. Read his story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light. KEVIN PATTERSON (LEFT) HOLDS A SHOVEL ALONGSIDE COLLEAGUES DURING A VOLUNTEER DAY. /COURTESY KEVIN PATTERSON Kevin…
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Planting Seeds to Help Youth Win, Against All Odds
Karen has spent more than three decades opening doors of opportunity for young people who just need someone to believe in them. Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Karen Levingston-Franklin. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point…
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The Next Generation of Volunteers
Eliana Galgoci, Founder of the NextGen Kindness Foundation, sorts items for donation to her school district as part of a dignity drive. Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Eliana Galgoci. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as…
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How a Fundraiser Turned into 300,000+ Pounds of Rescued Food
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Dhevesh Mahes. Read his story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light. When Dhevesh Mahes turned his love of desserts into a fundraiser two years ago, he had no idea it…
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BRIDGING THE GAPS IN HEALTH LITERACY
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Noreen Hosny. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light. Noreen Hosny’s background in molecular biology and visual arts might not be the most common combination you hear of, but she’s using those…
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A Youth Champion for Menstrual Equity
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Dhiya Thirumurugan. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light. When Dhiya Thirumurugan was younger, periods were something she felt too shy to talk about or even to ask for help with. Noticing that menstrual…
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Turning Women into Political Leaders
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Isabelle Enriques. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light. When Isabelle Enriques founded She's in Office in January 2025, she set out to do two things at once: end gender-based violence and put more…