This award is presented annually to a community service and/or social justice organization working in the city in which the ESS meets during the particular year each award is given. The 2025 ESS meeting will be held in Boston, MA. To be eligible for consideration, the organization must be working to address a significant social problem, empower marginalized communities, advance community involvement and social-political participation in underrepresented communities, and/or effect positive change in the neighborhood/city/state in which they conduct their work. The organization should be located in the Boston area. This award comes with a $750 stipend and the possibility to engage in a conversation with scholars on a panel during the ESS annual meeting at which the award is given.

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To nominate an organization for this award, please send a letter (or letters) of nomination detailing how the group fulfills the above qualifications to the Committee Chair (Celeste Curington, ccuringt@bu.edu) by November 15. Please include examples of the nominated organization’s work, copies of (or references to) any relevant published materials and/or press coverage and contact information for both nominator and the organization. 

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The 2024 award went to 2 organizations:

Miriam's Kitchen, Washington, DC: Miriam’s Kitchen plays a critical role in the fight to end chronic homelessness in DC. Our direct services help our guests increase their income, improve their health, and obtain housing. And our advocacy work addresses root causes of homelessness, seeks enough housing resources for all who need it, and pushes for city-wide change so that we can end homelessness as we know it in our community. 

Anacostia Watershed Society, Bladensburg, MD: The Anacostia Watershed Society offers a variety of programs designed to accelerate the Anacostia River's progress towards swimmable and fishable as defined in the 1972 Clean Water Act.

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