Minneapolis Resident Honored with the Daily Point of Light Award at National Conference of Volunteering and Service

ATLANTA, June 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Shannon Lambert of Minneapolis, MN was one of four honorees recognized with the Daily Point of Light Award from Points of Light Institute. Lambert was honored June 28 at a gala event in New York City at the 2010 National Conference on Volunteering and Service, co-convened by Points of Light Institute and the Corporation for National and Community Service. 

As a 15-year-old, Shannon Lambert was the victim of acquaintance rape. After four years of keeping her attack secret, Lambert decided to reach out to others.  After appearing on 20/20, Lambert began a small online message board that eventually became Pandora's Project. That simple message board has now become an online resource that supports 20,000 sexual abuse survivors worldwide.

Pandora's Project often serves as the first place for survivors to shed shame and truly talk about their experience, leading them to real help in their lives. Lambert's creation, which operates entirely on donations, facilitates a chat room, hosts guest speakers, and gives members a safe place to ask questions.

The Daily Point of Light Award honors individuals and groups creating meaningful change in communities across America.  The award, established by former President George H. W. Bush, recognizes volunteer efforts in the following service areas: environmental stewardship, education, empowering youth to serve, building healthy communities and improving economic viability of local communities.

Three other Daily Point of Light award-winners were recognized for creating meaningful changes in their communities across America. Delores Powell of Buffalo, NY received the award for her work with PUSH Buffalo and the resulting Extreme Makeover: Neighborhood Edition that built Powell a new home, and renovated another 119 homes in her community. Katy Keck of New York, NY has raised more than $200,000 in donations for Infinite Family, an online mentoring organization for orphaned children in Africa.  New York State's First Lady Michelle Paige Paterson received the award for her three years of volunteering at hospital emergency rooms, counseling injured domestic violence victims. She's also created a state-wide initiative that challenges middle-school students to exercise more and eat healthy foods.

For more information on the Daily Point of Light Awards, contact Saxon Seay at [email protected]. For more information on the 2010 National Conference on Volunteering and Service, visit http://www.volunteeringandservice.org.

About Points of Light Institute

Points of Light Institute inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world. The Institute has a global focus to redefine volunteerism and civic engagement for the 21st century, putting people at the center of community problem solving. We are organized to innovate, incubate and activate new ideas that help people act upon their power to make a difference. Points of Light Institute operates three dynamic business units that share our mission: HandsOn Network, MissionFish and the Civic Incubator. For more information, please visit www.pointsoflight.org.

SOURCE Points of Light Institute

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