Public Interest Registry Unveils Winners of 6th Annual .ORG Impact Awards at DC Ceremony Hosted by Emmy Winner Alan Cumming

Education Health Care/Hospitals Public Interest News

Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation named 2024 .ORG of the Year, selected from over 1,700 applicants from more than 87 countries

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Public Interest Registry (PIR), the people behind the .ORG domain, announced the winners of the .ORG Impact Awards, an annual celebration recognizing and rewarding outstanding mission-driven individuals and organizations from around the world for their positive contributions to society.

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The seven winners – selected from over 1,700 applicants from more than 87 countries — were announced live at a Washington, D.C. awards ceremony which took place Tuesday at the International Spy Museum. Alan Cumming, who recently won the Emmy for Outstanding Host on the show The Traitors, hosted this year\'s event, where Public Interest Registry awarded a total of $180,000 in donations to organizations from the global .ORG Community across seven categories:

Community Building
Quality Education for All
Environmental Stewardship
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Health and Healing
Hunger and Poverty
Rising Stars (leaders, under 25, making a difference in their communities)

In addition to the category winners, PIR named Philippines-based nonprofit Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation the winner of the prestigious .ORG of the Year award, recognizing the organization\'s work to provide access to education for children in remote and poverty-stricken areas by providing boats to reach their schools.

The organization started with one yellow boat that could accommodate 25-30 children. But through community support, they have grown to over 5,000 yellow boats sailing across the Philippines. The boats have become a symbol of \"Bayanihan\" – a Filipino concept of cooperative giving – and inspire more community members to get involved by donating school supplies and even building a new school for the children.

The .ORG Impact Award judging panelists were inspired by how the organization\'s work brings the entire community together to solve a common problem – which embodies the spirit of the .ORG Impact Awards. As the 2024 .ORG of the Year, Yellow Boat of Hope will receive $50,000 in donations.

\"The winners of the .ORG Impact Awards are the very best of the .ORG Community and work tirelessly to create positive change every day. Public Interest Registry is thrilled to uplift their efforts and humbled by the work they are doing to build a bright future for us all,\" said Jon Nevett, President and CEO of Public Interest Registry. \"I am especially honored to celebrate this year\'s .ORG of the Year, Yellow Boat of Hope, for their continued commitment to education access and ability to inspire an entire community to come together and make the world a better place.\"

In the six years since the .ORG Impact Awards first started, Public Interest Registry has cumulatively donated $685,000 to .ORGs across the world. This year is a continuation of PIR\'s ongoing commitment to uplifting the changemakers making the world a better place.

\"These organizations are proof of how the Internet can be used as a force for good—allowing them to share their mission with the world, connect with others, and expand their reach. That\'s what we\'re celebrating tonight—the power of this global community, united by a shared desire to create a better world,\" said Alan Cumming.

\"Education is a universal right, and addressing its accessibility is a shared global responsibility. Humanity will never progress if we look only after our own backyards. Accessible, quality education is key to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. I dedicate this award to thousands of Hope Paddlers, not just in the Philippines, but worldwide,\" said Dr. Anton Mari H. Lim, President, CEO and Co-founder of Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation. \"With hope, the impossible becomes possible.\"

.ORG of the Year – Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation

Donation Amount: $50,000 USD

The Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation is a nonprofit organization in the Philippines that aims to provide access to education for children in remote and poverty-stricken areas by providing boats to reach their schools. The foundation\'s story began in 2010 when a group of friends learned about the struggles of children in a coastal community in the Zamboanga Peninsula who had to swim to get to school. The group decided to provide a yellow boat to these children so they could go to school safely and comfortably.

Since then, the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation has expanded its reach to other parts of the Philippines, providing boats to children in various coastal communities and far-flung areas. The foundation\'s boats, which are painted bright yellow, not only serve as a means of transportation but also symbolize hope and a brighter future for the children.

Since 2010, the foundation has been able to provide 5,241 boats, 13 school buildings, 5 dormitories, 2 bridges, 3 starter classrooms, 59 educational hubs, 4 Teach Anywhere chapters, and 3 community learning centers to a total of 127 adopted communities and 143 adopted public schools all over the Philippines.

Yellow Boat of Hope is also the winner of the 2024 .ORG Impact Award for Quality Education for All.

Community Building – Kiva