Boys Hope Girls Hope is thrilled to celebrate its inaugural Excellence Awards, which recognizes the achievements of individuals who demonstrate and support hope and success for their colleagues, affiliates, communities, our scholars, and the Boys Hope Girls Hope network.
The Vatterott Award celebrates the legacy and impact of an extraordinary visionary—an exemplary man or woman for others—whose generosity, determination and philanthropic support have sustained the vital work of Boys Hope Girls Hope on behalf of scholars, collegians, and children in need. This award is named in honor of our 2018 inaugural recipient, John Vatterott, long-time champion and Chair Emeritus of the Board of Directors for Boys Hope Girls Hope International.
John has contributed his time serving the scholars of our program and financially investing in multiple Boys Hope Girls Hope affiliates and network-wide initiatives. He also has served on Boys Hope Girls Hope International’s Board of Directors since 1994, helping guide the organization into what it has become today.
The Legacy of Hope Award honors a member of the Boys Hope Girls Hope alumni community who exemplifies the spirit of being college-educated, career-ready and community-minded. The 2018 inaugural recipient is Larry Phillips, an alumnus of Boys Hope Girls Hope of Illinois.
Larry currently serves as the Assistant Vice President, Culture and Inclusion at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., where he creates strategies to increase diversity within Gallagher’s workforce and builds strategic alliances with diverse trading partners. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Risk Management and Insurance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Business School.
Larry also gives back to his community by mentoring middle school students through the Big Shoulders Fund and serving as the President of the Boys Hope Girls Hope of Illinois Junior Board.
“As a Boys Hope Girls Hope alum, I’m passionate about giving back and paying forward what I was so privileged to have received. Not only do I work with the other Junior Board members to coordinate and host fundraising events to raise awareness, but I’m also actively involved in the lives of the scholars in each of the three homes in Evanston, IL. Whether it’s delivering dinner, playing basketball or video games, or tutoring, I thoroughly enjoy spending time with the scholars. As I’ve always believed, it’s the mentorship and guidance of others that’s paramount to overcoming so many adversities and I want to be the support system for those who have nowhere else to turn.”
Larry’s passion for giving back—not only to Boys Hope Girls Hope but also to the community in which he grew up—is a perfect example of what a true “person for others” resembles. In addition, his career and academic successes are fantastic examples of what a dedicated and motivated Boys Hope Girls Hope scholar can achieve.
The Hero of Hope Award honors an outstanding member of our affiliate staff who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to contribute to the success of his or her affiliate, scholars, and the Boys Hope Girls Hope network. The 2018 Hero of Hope is Rebecca Limbaugh, Deputy Director of Scholar Support at Boys Hope Girls Hope of Detroit.
Rebecca, who joined our team in 2013, grew up in an environment similar to many of the scholars in our program. She understands the impact that love, resources, opportunity, exposure, and support can have on a child who is determined to enhance the quality of his or her life. As a result, she is a driven advocate for the scholars in our program and has formed impactful relationships with more than 100 scholars and collegians currently cared for by our Detroit affiliate. She also is an invaluable educator for our network and led an outstanding training on the importance of building relationships with our families at the Program Leadership Forum. She also recently traveled to Pittsburgh to train staff on diversity.
In her spare time, Rebecca helps Syrian refugees and serves as an Adjunct Professor at Spring Arbor University where she teaches courses to students in the Family Life Education and Master of Arts in Counseling program. She is a licensed social worker (LSW) and counselor (LLPC), and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Wayne State University, a Master of Arts in Counseling from Spring Arbor University, and is a Ph.D. candidate in Advanced Studies in Human Behavior at Capella University.
For more information regarding the Excellence Awards, or this release, please contact Julie Linder, Communications Coordinator, by calling 573-268-0639.