The Jefferson Awards are known as “an American Nobel Prize for public service.” Since its founding in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Sam Beard and Senator Robert Taft, Jr., the Jefferson Awards has honored outstanding community and public service.

In Northwest Ohio, we have honored 86 people for their outstanding community service.

We invite you to nominate an “unsung hero,” someone who has undertaken a project that has a big impact on the community. Does the project reach out to many people, encouraging and inspiring others to get involved? Has it changed the lives of area citizens for the better? Has the “unsung hero” overcome personal obstacles to accomplish this feat?

Individuals who have been nominated in the past may be nominated again, as long as their service is continuing.