This year's nominees include David Hyung-bok Kim of USA, who served orphaned children in more than 25 countries, Andal Damodaran of India, an advocate for children's rights, Shardkumar Dicksheet of USA/India, Sanphasit Koompraphant of Thailand, who exposed issues of child endangerment in Thailand, Helmut Kutin of Austria and Abubacar Mamadbhay Sultan of Mozambique, a leading voice for the rights and welfare of children in Mozambique and beyond. 

Columbus business leader and philanthropist Harry Leibowitz developed the concept in 1998. While watching a CNN special on the histories of the Nobel Peace Prize and the Pulitzer prize, the idea struck him that there did not exist a lifetime achievement award in the arena of child advocacy. Leibowitz brought the idea to the Hannah Neil Center Foundation Board and several community leaders and with the support from several large corporations, including Kellogg's, and many hours of volunteer work, honorees from around the world were found and the award became a reality. 

The award is named after two famed humanitarians, Hannah Neil (1795-1868) and W.K. Kellogg (1860-1951). 

In 1835, Hannah Neil became the co-founder of the Female Benevolent Society, one of Columbus' first charities, donating food and clothing to the many impoverished pioneer families of that time. Neil came to later organize a day school for these children and eventually raised funds to buy a mansion that would provide them with a place to live. This home, The Hannah Neil Mission and Home for the Friendless remained in operation for more than 100 years. 

Today, the Hannah Neil Center for Children continues to serve children, most of them suffering the results of abuse and neglect. In an effort to inspire others to follow in her footsteps in service to needy children, the award has been named in her honor. 

Although best known for his ready-to-eat cereals, Will Keith Kellogg also dedicated most of his life and fortune to the youth of America. Kellogg established the Fellowship Corporation in Michigan in 1925, donating nearly 3 million to local children's causes. In 1930, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation was also established, dedicated to the mission "to promote the health, happiness and well-being of children." 

The Kellogg Corporate Citizenship Fund is a major sponsor of the Kellogg's Hannah Neil World of Children Award, helping to support and celebrate humanitarians like Hannah Neil and W.K. Kellogg. 

Until just a month ago, the award and everything involved in making it happen was developed and backed by many professionals in their spare time - a completely volunteer effort had brought it into existence and without the help of a single full-time employee. Recently, they hired an Executive Director, Columbus resident David Lippy, to fulfill the need to continuously develop this award in a full-time capacity. 

"Today's needy children are denied many things," Lippy recently told Columbus Wired. "It is our mission to recognize and celebrate those individuals who are committed to bringing them hope". 

David is striving to make the Kellogg's Hannah Neil World of Children Award a lifetime achievement award akin to the Pulitzer and the Nobel Peace Prize. He will be working to increase public awareness about the plight of children and the prominence of the issues, seeking out more international honorees, creating linkages to like-minded organizations and people, and eventually expanding the awards to include many categories. 

David had been a stay at home dad for his son Harrison (3), and was at first reluctant to take the job. "This is who I am. I had the best job on the planet as a stay at home dad, but the events of September 11th changed that calling," he said. "I hope that someday my son will look me in the eyes and know that I had to take part in helping to repair the world and make it better. I want to be a role model to him." 

David says that his son understands that he is helping the needs of many children. Lippy sees how far the organization has come in such a short time and is genuinely excited about its future. "The progress that this organization has made in the past four years has been nothing less than amazing," he said. "The fact that the people who have brought us this far have achieved so much with only a voluntary staff is outstanding." 

David's wife, Pam Lippy has helped to support him in taking on such a demanding position. "There is no way I could do this without my wife and partner. Her support is crucial, I could not do this without her love and commitment," he said.

Pam has worked with children as a professional coach and teacher of children's tennis for twenty years. David says that he has learned a lot from her and that she has helped him to be "a better dad and parent."

Though only four years old, the Kellogg's Hannah Neil World of Children Award has achieved an incredible amount of support. Now, with the help of David Lippy and all of the people and organizations involved, it is sure to become a more popular international affair and maybe, as they hope, become a "household word". 

For more information or to purchase tickets to the event, please contact Suzan at (614) 491-5784 extension 221.