Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani presided over the 2001 Mayor's Awards for Volunteers to City Agencies (MVAC) in a ceremony today at City Hall. The honors are given in recognition of the numerous contributions made by the thousands of volunteers in dozens of agencies around the City. The Mayor also presented an the Agency Award to the Community Assistance Unit, which has offered assistance to families affected by the events of September 11th through the Family Assistance Center and by arranging prayer and memorial services.

Joining the Mayor at the ceremony was Rudy Washington, Deputy Mayor for Community Development and Business Services; also there to present individual awards were Harriette Heller, Executive Director of the Mayor's Volunteer Action Center; Sarina Roffe, Co-Chair of the MVAC Task Force on Volunteerism in Government; and Linda Takourian, Co-Chair of the MVAC Task Force on Volunteerism in Government.

Mayor Giuliani said, "In the wake of the worst terrorist attack upon our nation, the power and spirit of volunteerism have led to our City emerging stronger and more united than ever before. We volunteer because even though we live in a City of eight million people, we each want to do something to make our City a better place for all New Yorkers."

Harriette Heller said, "The Mayor's Voluntary Action Center believes that through volunteer service people have the capacity to enrich their own lives and improve the quality of life in their communities. An active volunteer community creates an environment in which all people thrive. We are at our best when we engage in collaborative efforts that bring together individuals, neighborhoods, schools, businesses, government, nonprofit, faith-based and other community organizations to achieve a community vision of better communities."

The list of award recipients comprised 44 individuals, five groups, and a special Agency Award given to the Mayor's Community Assistance Unit (CAU), in recognition of their extraordinary efforts during the World Trade Center tragedy in coordinating thousands of volunteers, comforting victims, and helping relatives through their grief at the Family Assistance Center.

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