📊 Did You Know?
- Founded in 1990 by President George H. W. Bush, Points of Light is the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, inspiring people across the globe to create positive change in their communities.
- The name “Points of Light” comes from President Bush’s 1989 inaugural address, where he described volunteer groups as “a thousand points of light” spreading compassion throughout the nation.
- According to their 2022 Annual Report, the Points of Light network mobilizes over 3.7 million volunteers across 39 countries, contributing more than 16.7 million hours of service—community impact valued at nearly $500 million.
In 2020, we were honored to receive the George H.W. Bush Points of Light Award, the highest honor presented by Points of Light. This award honors individuals who have demonstrated the transformative power of service to drive significant and sustained impact in their communities and beyond. For us, this recognition is more than an award—it is a profound reminder that you are never too young to change the world.
As we reflect on this milestone, we are struck by the journey that brought us here: countless acts of kindness, moments of learning, and the unwavering support of people who believed in the power of service and believed in us.
This award affirms that even the smallest actions, when multiplied, can spark meaningful change across our communities and beyond.
To receive this honor under the Honorary Co-Chairmanship of Presidents George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama is truly inspiring. Their legacies remind us that leadership rooted in service transcends politics, geography, and generations.
It was also an extraordinary privilege to be recognized alongside visionary changemakers like Marc and Lynne Benioff (Co-Chairs of TIME), Hamdi Ulukaya (Founder and CEO of Chobani), and Captain Sir Thomas Moore (Founder of the Captain Tom Foundation). Each has dedicated their platform to uplifting others, and their example pushes us to continue raising the bar for impact.
Thank you to the event’s co-chairs—Barbara Bush, Craig Coyne, Jenna Bush Hager, Henry Hager, and Wendy Stapleton—for your leadership and commitment to carrying forward this tradition of service. And to Points of Light, a heartfelt thank you for amplifying the voices of changemakers everywhere and for reminding us that together, our light is stronger.
This recognition is not ours alone—it belongs to every volunteer, partner, mentor, and supporter who has walked alongside us. It belongs to the communities that have welcomed us, challenged us, and inspired us to serve better. It belongs to the next generation of leaders who remind us daily that passion and purpose know no age.
As we accept this honor, we pause in gratitude but also look ahead with renewed determination. The work of building a kinder, more equitable world continues, and we remain steadfast in our mission to empower others, foster compassion, and be a “point of light” across our community and beyond.
—Shreyaa & Esha Venkat, NEST4US Founders, July 2020
