Betty Jo Gaines

Betty Jo Gaines

Toward the end of her 30-year tenure at the Washington, D.C., Department of Parks and Recreation, Betty Jo Gaines noted an increasing number of homeless families with children. Known for her warmth and passion for families, she started a childcare program in response....
Donald Lombardi

Donald Lombardi

Imagine a 2-pound baby in a hospital neonatal intensive care unit with a breathing tube secured to her body with adhesive tape. Later, when the nurse removes the tape, the infant’s fragile skin tears. Or picture a child with hypertension who gags on the...
Caitlin Ryan

Caitlin Ryan

At age 50, Caitlin Ryan decided it was time to pursue a doctorate in public policy. A social worker who pioneered community AIDS programs in the 1980s, she was acutely aware that many in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community had complicated...
Barbara Chandler Allen

Barbara Chandler Allen

When he was 13, Michael Clarkson’s mother was arrested, and he was sent from Arizona to Philadelphia to live with other family. No surprise, Clarkson began having a tough time in school and had no plans for his future. Barbara Chandler Allen helped change all that....