By Linda Hrevnack, BD Social Investing Manager

Every year, in honor of the late BD Director, Henry P. Becton, Sr.’s lifelong commitment to community service, we recognize a select group of exemplary employees and retirees for outstanding volunteer service, and award them, the Becton Volunteer Impact Award.  

This year, 19 BD employees representing 11 countries, as well as one BD team from Brazil, were recognized for generously investing their time and talents to improve the world around them.

BD will issue $90,000 in financial grants to the non-profit organizations that these honorees serve, including:

• 36th Waterford Tramore Bay Scouts encourages the physical, intellectual, character, emotional, social and spiritual development of young people so that they may achieve their full potential. (Ireland)
• AACI - Associação de Apoio à Criança e ao Idoso provides basic social protection for children, the elderly and their families, through the provision of services aimed at tackling social vulnerability and strengthening family bonds, encouraging socialization and community living.  (Brazil)
• American Diabetes Association works to prevent and cure diabetes and improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. (United States)
• Angels Haven School serves children and families living in poverty with an array of educational services. (India)
• Asociación Sanfilippo Barcelona, implements fundraisers to help finance human clinical trials for gene therapy and other palliative therapies that seek to treat Sanfilippo Syndrome. (Spain)
• Associazione Italiana Persone Down sez. Bari protects the rights of people with Down Syndrome, promotes their full inclusion in all social areas, and works to ensure they are provided the opportunity to improve their own quality of life by helping them develop personal, social and domestic autonomy. (Italy)
• Best Buddies Iowa provides one-to-one friendship, integrated employment and leadership development programs to individuals with and without intellectual and development disabilities. (United States)
• Comedores Mariposa provides food for low-income children, single mothers and the elderly as well as to families with relatives receiving care at local hospitals. (Mexico)
• Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership Corp. breaks cycles of generational poverty by delivering full-day, school-based, year-round support and youth development programming to 400 underserved students in Harlem and the Bronx. (United States)
• It's All About The Kids Foundation Inc. is a grass roots 501c3 with a mission to provide warm clothing, a gift card for food and toys for the neediest children during the holiday season. (United States)
• Miracle Babies unites families with their newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) by providing transportation and supportive services. (United States)
• Oxfordshire Open Award provides scholarship funding and mentoring support to help young people with intellectual disabilities earn the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh Award, which honors youth for achievements related to community service, commitment to the environment and commitment to personal fitness. (United Kingdom)
• Pan American Society for Clinical Virology fosters the scientific development and medical practice of viral diagnostic testing. (United States)
• People to People Health Foundation develops innovative, evidence-based interventions to improve the health and quality of life of community members by building the skills of health care workers and the capacity of the local health care system; improving access to quality services; and establishing and expanding community support systems. (India)
• Save the Animals Rescue Society Inc. rescues, provides veterinary care for, spays, neuters, fosters and shelters abused and abandoned pets. (United States)
• Society of Women Engineers San Diego County empowers women to succeed and advance in the field of engineering, and to be recognized for their life-changing contributions as engineers and leaders. (United States)
• The Ingenuity Project is committed to preparing the next diverse generation of nationally competitive STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) leaders from Baltimore City Public Schools. (United States)
• Two Sentinels Girl Scout Camp provides girls and young women the opportunity to realize, recognize, and reach their full potential in an atmosphere of friendship, adventure, and fun. (United States)
• Voluntary Norfolk improves the health, wellbeing, connections, skills and employability of thousands of people in Norfolk each year, by supporting volunteers. (United Kingdom)
• Youth Without Shelter Terra House provides trauma-informed care to help homeless youth access food, education, housing, employment and professional mental health counseling. (Canada)