Ad Council raises unprecedented $4.5m at its 63rd annual Public Service Award dinner
At the Ad Council’s 63rd annual Public Service Award dinner on Nov. 16, hosted by James Corden at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, the nonprofit announced that the event raised an unprecedented $4.5m for its 40 national public service campaigns.
The Henderson-Strong family with host of The Late Late Show James Corden
Lisa Sherman, president and CEO of the Ad Council, began the night by thanking the companies and individuals in attendance for supporting the nonprofit’s dozens of public service campaigns, which help raise awareness for everything from childhood exposure to violence to financial literacy. She noted that this year alone, the Ad Council’s campaigns have been given more than $1.6bn in donated media.
She also encouraged attendees to keep working hard at raising awareness of, and fighting for, issues closest to their hearts even when the going gets tough.
“How many of you have looked at the division and the derision in our country, the desperation and conflict overseas, the chasms in our own communities, or struggled with some fear, stress or heartache in recent weeks and felt helpless?” she said. “In a world that can be dark, it’s up to us to bring the light. There are few groups of people more capable of creating a better world. We have the talent, we certainly have the ability, and most of all, we have the heart.”
Shantanu Narayen, president and chief executive of Adobe, was presented with this year’s Public Service Award for his philanthropic work as president of the Adobe Foundation, which gives cash and product donations to nonprofits to help them run their operations, tell their stories and advance their missions.
Some of the stars and activists behind the Ad Council’s recent campaigns were also honored at the event. Anti-bullying activist Lizzie Valasquez, who stars in the Ad Council’s “I Am A Witness” campaign, was honored at the dinner for her anti-bullying efforts. The Henderson-Strong family, featured in the Ad Council's "Love Has No Labels" campaign, and Jocelyn Esparza, one of the stars in the Ad Council and Dollar General Literacy Foundation’s High School Equivalency campaign, were honored as well.
The night ended with a performance by Sheryl Crow who, according to the Ad Council, has “used her talent to support many nonprofit causes including Stand Up To Cancer, The World Food Program, Feeding America and Adopt A Classroom.”