Everyday Humanitarians Awarded

By Jennie Duncan Atlanta singer songwriter Tammy Allen has always believed in the power of positive reinforcement, from disciplining children, to motivating employees, to boosting morale and self-esteem. There is so much bad news coming from the media these days. I started thinking about how many incredibly kind people I meet by chance in the grocery store, or at work, or wherever I happen to be, said Allen. Writing a song about these chance encounters with unsung heroes was Allen’s initial reaction, but it didn’t take her long to reach out and really impact their lives. These kind people don’t usually get the recognition they deserve. Recognizing the little things people do to make the world a better place can encourage and inspire others, said Allen. Many times the everyday humanitarians in our communities are people donating their talents, money and time to others.?Tammy Allen and her business partner at TD Entertainment, Terri Harof, were motivated and inspired by the idea of the good people working behind the scenes. After meeting local do-gooder Aida Rentas, they decided to launch their own hometown version of Oprah’s Winfrey’s “Big Give”, the new series in which people are handed plenty of cash and instructed to give it away to the worthiest recipients in their community. Although The Everyday People Award is starting off with small prizes, Allen and Harof aspire to gain momentum and more corporate sponsors as the concept progresses. We just believe that the idea of recognizing people for going the extra mile is a really powerful statement, said Harof. The unsung heroes need our support and we decided to create the Everyday People Award for those generous souls. Harof is an enthusiastic promoter and believes that this award’s popularity will spread quickly by its positive recognition of simple generosity. Aida Rentas was the winner of the first Everyday People Award in 2007. This phenomenal woman founded The Grass Roots Institute, which is an after-school and summer camp program in Atlanta for underprivileged children of diverse cultures. The Grass Roots Institute is a nonprofit organization that teaches children the importance of nutrition, etiquette, health awareness, and non-traditional trades. Allen is quick to emphasize that small acts of kindness are eligible as well. I don’t want people to think that all the nominees have started a nonprofit organization or are wealthy philanthropists, she said. We just wanted to capture the proactive spirit and essence behind that sense of unselfishness, of doing things for others.?Do Good Everyday.com is a website created to encourage and acknowledge acts of generosity. The Everyday People Award has been established to reward these everyday heroes by public recognition, by letting them know that somebody appreciates them and notices what a difference they are making. To nominate someone, simply visit the website and submit a paragraph or two about why your candidate’s good deeds make them a hero. The candidate will be notified of their nomination by email. The inspiring stories will be posted and readers can vote online. Each month, the nominee with the most votes will receive a small prize package and be featured on the website, along with their favorite charity. Monthly Winners will then be eligible for The 2008 Everyday People Award and grand prize package of $1,000.00 cash and prizes donated by the sponsors of http://www.dogoodeveryday.com www.dogoodeveryday.com . A nonprofit organization called Music for Charities provides the online nomination and voting arena for the Do Good Everyday People Award within their website. ( http://www.DownloadUplift.com www.DownloadUplift.com ). Nominations of The Everyday People Award are still open for April’s prize, but nominations may be submitted any time during the year. April’s winner will be announced at the launch party on May 3rd at Roswell’s Se Vauge. The concert will feature talented Atlanta songstress Tammy Allen and Bossa Nova guitarist/vocalist Daniel Adam Johnson, founder of Music for Charities. These two gifted musicians are as passionate about making a difference in the world as they are about their music. http://www.DoGoodEveryday.com www.DoGoodEveryday.com http://www.DownloadUplift.com www.DownloadUplift.com http://www.sevauge.com www.sevauge.com http://www.tammyallen.com www.tammyallen.com For information on being a sponsor of The Everyday People Award and media inquiries, contact Terri Harof at mailto:terriharof@bellsouth.net terriharof@bellsouth.net