Use Your Life Awards
Oprah’s Angel Network introduced the Use Your Life Award on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2000. Over the next three years, the show recognized more than 50 life-changing organizations and their founders. Award-winners received financial grants that they used to help improve their local communities.
What are these organizations up to now? We’ve followed up with a few of them and have learned that their dedication, creativity and desire to help their communities is stronger than ever. Take a look:
- Cops ‘N Kids — Police officers distribute books to build community ties and promote literacy.
- D.C. Central Kitchen — An innovative kitchen prepares food for the needy and provides food training for those in need.
- Generations of Hope
— Foster kids, adoptive families and senior citizens come together in this intergenerational community.
- New Opportunity School for Women — Under-served, low-income Appalachian women get the help they need to develop work and life skills.
- One Heartland — Provides free summer camp to HIV-infected youth and tours schools to raise awareness about the disease.
- Red Feather Development Group — Builds homes and relationships with American Indian tribes.
- U.S. Dream Academy
— Provides mentors and educational assistance for children of incarcerated parents.
- Young Leaders’ Academy
— Helps shape young men from disadvantaged backgrounds into future leaders.
Learn more about other Use Your Life Award recipients.
