Hero of the Year & Volunteer of the Year Announced

rfactualize • February 8, 2020

Rainbow Families Announces
2020 Hero Award  and  Volunteer of the Year  Recipients

WASHINGTON, DC    February 7, 2020  – Rainbow Families ( www.RainbowFamilies.org ) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020 HERO AWARD, and VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR, to be presented at the Annual Family Conference May 16 2020 in Washington DC.

Ellen Kahn  was selected by the Rainbow Families Board of Directors to receive the honor this year.   “We started the Hero award in 2019 to recognize and honor someone who has contributed significantly to the LGBTQ+ family community, particularly in the areas of advocacy, support, family, education or acceptance,” said Darren Vance, Executive Director of Rainbow Families. “For decades, Ellen has contributed her time, talent, and resources for us  –  plus, she was a founding member of Rainbow Families over 20 years ago.  She’s a true hero for our community.”

Christine Lane, Rainbow Families Board President, said, “We are honored to recognize Ellen in this way.  She is an icon in the Mid-Atlantic region for her enduring work and we couldn’t be more excited.”

The 2019 Hero Award recipient was Michele Zavos, who has spent 40 years fighting for the legal rights of LGBTQ+ families and individuals in the Washington DC region, and continues to do so,

The  Volunteer of the Year Award  will be presented to spouses Sequoia and Shay Taylor-El, who donated weeks of sign language service for educational programs, providing tremendous value not only to Rainbow Families, but for the group’s deaf members as well.  “Rainbow Families is a lean, volunteer-driven organization.  Without the selfless contributions of people like Shay and Sequoia and others, we couldn’t do what we do.  We appreciate them, and all our wonderful volunteers”, Vance said.

About Rainbow Families:

Rainbow Families is a nonprofit organization which began in the 1990s as an AOL listserv for gay parents seeking support and community connection.  Today, Rainbow Families provides an array of educational programs such as Maybe Baby, numerous support groups, social activities for children to be around other families like theirs, a family camping weekend, and much more.  Rainbow Families hosts an Annual Family Conference & Gathering each May in Washington DC, and in was named “One of the Best” nonprofits by the Catalogue for Philanthropy. Visit www.rainbowfamilies.org to discover more and follow on Facebook @OurRainbowFamilies.

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