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26th Annual Awards Honor Those Who Stand Up for America’s Kids
The National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) today announced that Hussein Berry of Dearborn, Michigan, Co-Founder & President, Dearborn Youth Football Association, www.dyfa.org/index, will receive one of its prestigious LEWIS HINE AWARDS FOR SERVICE TO CHILDREN AND YOUTH. The Awards will be presented at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City on the evening of Monday, January 30th. Mr. Hussein will not be attending the ceremony due to a death in the family, his wife will attend and accept the award in his place.
Named for the acclaimed NCLC photographer who documented early-20th century exploitation of children, the LEWIS HINE AWARDS honor those individuals who, either as professionals or volunteers, give of themselves and go the extra mile for the well-being of young people. The recipients, who this year hail from as far away as Wyoming and as close as New York, are selected by a distinguished panel of judges from among hundreds of nominations submitted each year by business, community, and non-profit leaders.
This year’s program will be chaired by Maria R. Morris, Executive Vice President of MetLife, Inc.:
“We congratulate this year’s honorees for their truly extraordinary accomplishments and appreciate their exceptional service on behalf of our nation’s children and youth,” said Ms. Morris. “MetLife and MetLife Foundation have a longstanding commitment to improving the health and well-being of young people and preparing them for the future. We are proud to join NCLC in recognizing this year’s Lewis Hine Awards honorees for their dedication and hard work toward making the welfare of all children a priority.”
Hussein Berry, Dearborn, Michigan, Co-Founder & President, Dearborn Youth Football Association, www.dyfa.org/index,will be honored for his decade-long work as a mentor and advocate in his community on behalf of Dearborn youth.
Mr. Berry, believing that education is a key to providing the area’s youth with a meaningful future, co-created the Dearborn Youth Football Association (DYFA). The struggling factory city in Michigan has a very high poverty rate. The long-term goal of the association is to prepare the players to qualify for college scholarships. The short-term goals are to teach and use football and cheerleading to instill in the youth feelings of self-confidence and integrity; build their characters; and teach them how teamwork, hard work, and commitment can help them accomplish their goals.
A requirement of playing football or being a cheerleader is to complete all homework and keep school grades up. The team rule is “no homework, no practice-and no practice, no game.” A Review Board created by Mr. Berry—consisting of himself, a principal, and two teachers—reviews the students’ academic achievement. If they are doing well, the cost of their football association membership is waived, and if they are unable to afford the fee, Mr. Berry provides sponsorships.
Mr. Berry commits to attending every practice and game and encourages the players to do so as well. This is a parent-run organization so parents are required to commit their time to the association (over 70 parents now participate), including fund-raising for uniforms and equipment, in an effort to instill a sense of community in the students and their parents. Former members of the DYFA also volunteer their time.
In addition to his work with the DYFA, Mr. Berry is a member of the boards of the Dearborn Board of Education and of ACCESS, the largest Arab-American human services nonprofit in the United States. His leadership at ACCESS has helped guide the growth of this organization, which offers more than 100 programs in youth and education, employment, and health and social services in greater Detroit to empower people to lead healthy, informed, and productive lives.
The NCLC also announced that a select group of public figures will be honored with special awards, including the Distinguished Service Awards to business leaders and individuals in the public eye who have had a positive impact on the welfare of children and youth, The David T. Kearns Award for Excellence and Innovation in Education, and The Ronald H. Brown Award, which honors American leaders, like the late Mr. Brown, who have overcome prejudice and discrimination and uses his or her public platform to help today’s young people do the same. In addition, this year the NCLC will inaugurate The Nancy Daly Advocacy Award memorializing the late Los Angeles, California, activist and philanthropist Nancy Daly whose continuous efforts over many years provided support and opportunity for thousands of young people.
Since its inception, thousands of deserving individuals have been nominated for LEWIS HINE AWARDS and over 250 have been selected as honorees. Previous recipients have gained national and local recognition and have earned increased support, allowing them to make an even greater difference in their communities. Each of this year’s LEWIS HINE AWARDS Honorees will receive a $1,000 award.
For more information about the National Child Labor Committee and the LEWIS HINE AWARDS, visit www.nationalchildlabor.org
For more information about MetLife and MetLife Foundation, visit www.metlife.com and www.metlife.org.