by William Lowry, founder and president of No Child Hungry, presented The President’s Volunteer Service Award to Nationwide Marketing Group CEO Tom Hickman at a ceremony in Palm Beach, Florida. The organization honored Hickman for his years of volunteer service and support.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) is a civil award bestowed by the President of the United States. Established by executive order of George W. Bush in 2003, the award honors volunteers who give hundreds of hours per year helping those in need. Since its inception, the award has continued under each administration, honoring volunteers who are using their time and talents to solve challenges facing our nation.
Led by AmeriCorps and managed in partnership with Points of Light, this program allows Certifying Organizations like No Child Hungry to recognize their most exceptional volunteers.
In a presentation ceremony at The Breakers Resort, the non-profit recognized Hickman’s ongoing volunteer service with the organization. Hickman has served as a volunteer both domestically and internationally, joining No Child Hungry teams as far away as Haiti, and most recently, during disaster relief efforts in Maui, Hawaii.
Mike Whitaker, SVP and COO of No Child Hungry, shares, “Since Tom first kicked off his organization’s efforts with us back in 2018, he’s been a great partner. Not only has he inspired thousands to join this effort through Nationwide’s support of meal packing at their events, but he’s also answered the call to serve personally. Carving out time as an executive can be challenging, but Tom’s willingness to be hands-on and build relationships during distribution efforts is special. Great leaders inspire others to follow their lead, not just with words, but with action. They lead by example, and this is what sets them far apart from the rest. Tom has exemplified this dynamic for years.”
During the presentation, Hickman received a personalized certificate, an official coin and medallion, and a congratulatory letter from President Biden.
“The mission-focused success of No Child Hungry over the past decade would have never been possible without the selfless volunteers that have enabled us to distribute nearly sixty million meals to children in need,” Lowry adds. “Tom has been just such a volunteer. His leadership at Nationwide Marketing Group has resulted in more than 2.6 million meals for kids packed by their network, and he’s been right there, in the thick of it, both packing and distributing meals all along the way.”
Nationwide Marketing Group, the organization Hickman leads, has been a partner of No Child Hungry for nearly six years. In addition to sponsoring meal packing at their bi-annual trade shows, the company has also supported recent domestic and international disaster relief efforts. In 2023, Nationwide provided much-needed resources as No Child Hungry responded to the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, continued their ongoing distribution of meals in war-ravaged Ukraine, and mobilized large-scale relief efforts in Maui, Hawaii in the wake of the August wildfires.
At the same event where Hickman was honored, No Child Hungry also launched their 1BN10 initiative, committing to distribute a billion meals in the next ten years. According to Lowry, “It takes partners like Tom to do something as ambitious as our movement toward a billion meals in the next decade. However, it’s because of partners like him that we know this mission is possible, and we’re confident we’ll succeed.”
